Oil Tops $100 and Trump Says Good — America Makes Money as World’s Biggest Producer

In a statement that surprised global observers, President Trump said Thursday that rising oil prices are not entirely unwelcome from America’s perspective — because the United States, as the world’s largest crude producer, makes money when prices climb. The remark came in a Truth Social post in which Trump also said that preventing Iran from going nuclear is his “far greater” priority. The combination of economic opportunism and security absolutism offered a window into the administration’s wartime mindset as oil topped $100 per barrel.
The energy disruption driving the price spike is historically significant. Gulf producers have cut output by roughly 10 million barrels per day — approximately 10% of global demand. Brent crude gained as much as 10% Thursday to briefly exceed $100 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate climbed toward $96. The IEA described the disruption as the largest oil supply shock ever recorded and coordinated the release of 400 million barrels from member nations’ reserves.
Trump’s Truth Social post stated explicitly that when oil prices go up, the United States makes a lot of money as the world’s biggest producer. He then drew a sharp contrast: this financial benefit is secondary to his presidential mission of stopping Iran — an “evil Empire” — from developing nuclear weapons that could destroy the Middle East and the world. He pledged to never allow this outcome.
The “good news” framing of high oil prices is politically unusual but strategically coherent. It suggests the administration views the conflict’s economic costs as manageable for the United States, even if painful for allies. It also shifts the domestic political framing of the war from “costly mistake” to “profitable mission.” Trump buttressed this outside the White House Wednesday, confirming that military operations are delivering extraordinary force against Iran and are not over.
Trump expressed no concern about Iranian attacks on American soil. The US is releasing 172 million barrels from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve. While global markets absorb the historic supply shock, Trump’s dual message — economic advantage and nuclear security — defines the administration’s posture toward the conflict.