Why oil and gas prices are up despite US ‘energy independence’

Published March 18, 2026 6:00am ET



The dramatic rise in oil and gas prices following the outbreak of the Iran war has raised new questions about President Donald Trump’s claims over the years that the United States has achieved energy independence. 

The fact that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz could raise domestic gas prices shows that U.S. households are vulnerable to changes in energy markets all over the world. 

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