Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended soaring fuel costs on Tuesday, telling Americans to count their blessings even as gas prices climbed to their highest level in four years. Average pump prices now sit at $4.48 per gallon, up sharply from $3.17 a year ago.
Rubio framed the price spike as a sign of American advantage rather than hardship. The US benefits from being a net oil exporter and less dependent on Middle Eastern supplies than other nations, he argued, making the country better positioned to weather global disruptions.
"We've been insulated to some degree," Rubio said. "We're obviously still vulnerable, to some extent, to global prices. But in the end, we're more insulated than other countries, even though that's not welcome news to Americans that are paying more at the pump, no doubt about it."
Oil markets have turbocharged since military strikes on Iran began in late February. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint handling roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied gas trade, has become largely impassable. That disruption has rippled across global economies and left American drivers feeling the pinch at fuel pumps.
Rubio claimed prices could be far worse. Without elaborating on his calculations, he suggested fuel would cost $8 to $9 per gallon if Iran possessed nuclear weapons and chose to blockade the strait. "A nuclear-armed Iran could do whatever the hell they want with the straits, and there's nothing anyone would be able to do about it," he said.
The sharp price increases have tested public patience for months. In March, Kevin Dass, an underemployed father of two in Detroit, expressed the frustration many Americans felt: "I don't give a shit about Iran. I don't want to pay higher gas."
Rubio's comparison to other nations offers little consolation to drivers watching their fuel bills grow. While acknowledging the hardship, he insisted that prices are not climbing faster than some feared, and that America's energy independence provides a cushion other countries lack.
Author James Rodriguez: "Telling people they're fortunate while they pay $4.48 a gallon is a tough sell, even if the math says other countries have it worse."
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