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Screenshot via Fox News
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sparked a wave of anger on Wednesday when he chided Ukraine over its attacks on Russian energy infrastructure during an interview on Fox & Friends.
Bessent was pressed by co-host Brian Kilmeade on the rising gas prices and costs of living in the U.S. at the moment. Bessent conceded “prices are too high” under the current administration, but went on to blame Ukraine as partly responsible:
And we are going through an energy shock right now due to both the war in Ukraine — because Ukraine has decided that they want to blow up Russian energy assets and refined products — so that is creating upward price pressure on a global basis. And then there’s the conflict in Iran. The conflict in Iran will end, and prices will come down.
Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian energy infrastructure in recent months as part of a broader strategy to cut into Vladimir Putin’s ability to continue to fund his devastating invasion of Ukraine, which has so far cost some 1.4 million Russian casualties.
Bessent’s remark angered many pundits and was also called out as contradicting the administration’s stance on pushing tougher sanctions against Russian oil and gas.
CNN chief national security analyst Jim Sciutto shared the clip and added, “So he’s suggesting saving the Russian oil industry is the solution?”
Longtime foreign policy writer Max Boot reacted, “Literally blaming by the victim! I’m sure it’s just a coincidence that oil prices spiked after the Trump administration launched its war of choice against Iran.”
Literally blaming by the victim! I’m sure it’s just a coincidence that oil prices spiked after the Trump administration launched its war of choice against Iran. https://t.co/uY068GQ5h4
— Max Boot 🇺🇦🇺🇸 (@MaxBoot) September 2, 2026
The Dispatch’s Jonah Goldberg simply replied, “Gross.”
Below are some additional reactions:
Difficult to square this opposition to Ukraine blowing up Russian oil infrastructure with Trump’s support for the Lindsey Graham Russia Tariff Act (which authorizes tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil), unless the Admin just wants a new, very flexible tariff authority… https://t.co/fHK71EvWrI
— Peter Harrell (@petereharrell) September 2, 2026
Not only did this guy invite the russian finance minister to the G20—drawing right criticism from Europe & Canada—but now he’s repeating a narrative that sounds sweet to the Kremlin.
Note: What he’s saying is factually incorrect (let’s look for the cause in the Gulf instead…). https://t.co/sre01iYMKY
— Nicolas Tenzer (@NTenzer) September 2, 2026
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