The following is the transcript of the interview with Energy Secretary Chris Wright that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Sept. 6, 2026.
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that → follow → Sept.
We begin today with the U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, who joins us from Denver.
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who → begin → Denver
Mr. Secretary, it is Labor Day, and Secretary Bessent had predicted we'd see three-dollar gas by September 20th, depending on the Iran talks.
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we → predict → talks
Do you think we're going to be back at three bucks in the next two weeks?
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we → think → weeks
Well, we've passed peak demand time with Labor Day tomorrow, the end of the summer driving season, and the Trump administration a couple weeks ago rolled out a change in regulations that'll allow American refiners to produce more gasoline and diesel with their existing equipment.
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refiners → pass → equipment
So, seeing demand likely go down in the next few weeks and supply going up, I think prices headed downward is- is not an unreasonable expectation.
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prices → see → weeks
What about the diesel fuel that trucks and trains rely so heavily on?
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trucks → rely → that
We saw that record high price of $5.89 a gallon this week.
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We → see → 5.89
You want to keep as much energy flowing as possible.
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energy → want → ?
The diesel situation has been challenging because Russian refineries have suffered significant damage.
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refineries → challenge → damage
Russia used to be a meaningful exporter of diesel.
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Russia → use → diesel
Today, today they don't export any diesel, and in fact, they've become a meaningful importer of gasoline.
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they → export → gasoline
And this is- for 17 years, Democrat policies have been attack hydrocarbons, get as many refineries and coal plants closed.
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refineries → is- → years
You could summarize their energy and climate policies in two words, expensive energy.
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You → summarize → words
Well, you could also say Russia shouldn't have invaded Ukraine, and then they'd still be able to export.
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they → say → Ukraine
But to the point of what you're going to do about it, are you looking at an export ban?
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you → go → ban
We consider all options of how you can move prices that are favorable for American consumers, but right now we're leaning in on maximum production, energy addition.
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we → consider → production
Again, in gasoline, in diesel, in the electricity sector, the way to solve a supply shortage is to grow supply.
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way → solve → supply
Okay, I want to ask you about Iran.
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I → want → Iran
You were on another network this morning, and you said the U.S. may not reach a nuclear deal with this current Iranian government and may have to wait for a new regime.
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U.S. → say → regime
If that is the current assessment, should the American people prepare themselves that the new normal will be these, for example, strikes like we saw just two days ago on Iranian oil tankers.
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we → prepare → tankers
Are you shutting down diplomatic outreach?
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you → shut → outreach
That's President Trump's goal is always to have a negotiated settlement and not use a military solution unless absolutely necessary, but the biggest role of our military in the region right now is to stop the export of any Iranian crude or crude-related products, natural gas, whatever.
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role → have → crude
We are strangling their economy to try to bring either a change in policy from the existing regime or a new regime, their current strategy is- is slowly failing for them.
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is- → strangle → them
Our exports of oil through the Strait of Hormuz are at the highest they've been since the conflict started, but they're still causing trouble.
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they → start → trouble
But what we can do is add supply in Alaska, in the Gulf, in Venezuela, everywhere we can, and continue to grow the rate of exports from the Middle East as well.
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we → add → East
but I mean to that point, Secretary Bessent said something like the Strait of Hormuz will be irrelevant in two years.
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something → mean → years
It takes time to build pipelines to avoid the strait.
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It → take → strait
How do you go from $90 a barrel now back to where we were pre-war, like 50 buck range?
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we → go → range
You know that's that's as as soon as we can get barriers out of the way to grow production
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barriers → know → production
50% growth in oil exports in the eight months we've been involved-that's pretty tremendous.
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that → involve → months
Alaska has been sanctioned more than Iran by Democratic politicians.
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Alaska → sanction → politicians
We've got to unleash Alaska, and that's happening.
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that → get → Alaska
The Gulf of America has enormous oil and gas reserves there; those are growing as well.
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those → have → reserves
They've got huge room to expand oil production capacity.
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They → get → capacity
So we're trying to center the world on bettering people's lives and economic growth in the long run.
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we → try → run
Every month, production is growing.
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production → grow → ?
Every month, production is growing.
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production → grow → ?
You you mentioned--
SEC. WRIGHT: Refineries is a bigger challenge.
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Refineries → mentioned-- → ?
Yeah, you mentioned Venezuela a few times there, sorry, go ahead.
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you → mention → Venezuela
…and 22 more, not listed.
The Aporia
