Anthony Scaramucci accused the Trump administration on Thursday of pursuing a contradictory energy policy in its war with Iran, questioning the idea of bombing Iranian oil infrastructure while also considering a temporary release of sanctioned Iranian crude to cool prices.
Scaramucci Calls Policy Deeply Contradictory
In a post on X, the former White House communications director wrote, “Let me get this straight: We attack Iranian oil facilities to hurt the regime, then we unsanction Iranian oil in hopes they sell it to our allies, so that we can continue to bomb the regime. It’s a bold strategy Cotton, let’s see how it pays off for ’em.”
Screenshot from X account of Anthony Scaramucci
The line Scaramucci uses to end his post, “It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off for ’em,” comes from the 2004 comedy DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story, which, during the course of the movie, is delivered during the championship match by commentator Pepper Brooks, played by Jason Bateman. In the scene, he uses it to react to a risky move by the underdog Average Joe’s team.
Bessent Sees Tactical Oil Price Relief
Scaramucci spoke after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. may lift sanctions on about 140 million barrels of Iranian oil already at sea, most of it originally headed to China. Bessent told Fox Business that Washington could redirect some of those barrels to “good actors” such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan and India, rather than leave them stranded as the war keeps pressure on global supplies.
He cast the idea as a tactical move to suppress prices for 10 to 14 days while the military campaign continues, saying the U.S. would be “using the Iranian barrels against the Iranians.” Reuters reported that officials are considering a temporary waiver similar to one recently used for stranded Russian oil, but key details remain unclear, including how any sales would be structured and how Iran would be paid.
Rising Gas Costs Drive Emergency Moves
The push reflects mounting political pressure from higher fuel costs. The American Automobile Association said the U.S. average price for regular gasoline stood at $3.884 a gallon on Thursday, up from $3.598 a week earlier and $2.929 a month earlier.
To ease gas-price pressure, the Trump administration has opened several short-term supply valves at once. The White House said on Wednesday that Trump would issue 60-day Jones Act waivers to let foreign-flagged ships move goods between U.S. ports, while the Treasury Department separately eased restrictions for U.S. companies doing business with Venezuela’s state oil firm PDVSA and, earlier, granted a 30-day waiver on some Russian oil shipments already in transit.
Image via Shutterstock/ Al Teich
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