Exclusive: Gallego presses DOE on oil reserve as gas prices rise

Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) sent a letter to Energy Secretary Chris Wright asking how the Department of Energy's planned release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve will affect gasoline prices and supply in Arizona. The Energy Department plans a phased distribution of 172 million barrels of crude as part of a 400-million-barrel coordinated release by International Energy Agency members, structured as an "exchange" in which companies return borrowed oil plus a premium. Gallego's inquiry highlights how the Iran conflict and resulting gas price increases—up over 70 cents per gallon since the strikes began—are becoming a political issue on Capitol Hill, particularly as the Arizona senator positions himself as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate. The Trump administration is countering public concern by saying gasoline prices will fall when the conflict ends, which officials expect within several weeks. The geopolitical crisis is already surfacing in midterm and 2028 election races.