Don't need Middle East oil & gas, but will help our allies, says Trump after attacks on Saudi Arabia's Aramco
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Trump had earlier warned that the US was "locked and loaded" to respond to the attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure.
President Donald Trump on Monday promised to supply oil to US allies, after attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure that Washington has blamed on Iran.
"We are a net Energy Exporter, & now the Number One Energy Producer in the World," Trump tweeted.
Because we have done so well with Energy over the last few years (thank you, Mr. President!), we are a net Energy Exporter, & now the Number One Energy Producer in the World. We don’t need Middle Eastern Oil & Gas, & in fact have very few tankers there, but will help our Allies!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 16, 2019
"We don't need Middle Eastern Oil & Gas, & in fact have very few tankers there, but will help our Allies!" he added.
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Trump's comments come after weekend drone strikes on two major oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, which slashed the country's oil production by half and led both the kingdom and the United States to announce they may tap into their strategic reserves.
Tehran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is bogged down in a five-year war, have claimed responsibility.
On Sunday, Trump warned that the US was "locked and loaded" to respond to the Saturday attacks.
It is the first time the president has hinted at a potential American military response to the drone strikes.
According to the US Energy Information Administration, the US was the top global oil producer in 2018, turning out nearly 18 million barrels per day.
Saudi Arabia was second, with 12.42 million barrels per day.