The United States could be in a more vulnerable position concerning its oil supply had President Donald Trump not removed some of the regulations hindering domestic production, Sen. David Perdue said Thursday while responding to attacks on two oil tankers off the Iran coast.
"We're the largest producer of oil and natural gas in the world," the Georgia Republican told Fox Business' "Mornings with Maria," while calling the attacks "very serious."
He urged watchers not to take it for granted that the U.S. Navy is "on the scene," but pointed out there have been four attacks in the last month.
"We know who is doing this," said Perdue. "It's time it stops."
In the last attack, Saudi tankers had been hit, and Perdue, when asked if the attacks were connected, responded "who else in the region is going to be attacking Saudi tankers?"
However, he deferred further comment about the previous attacks but said he does think it was the right move for the Navy to send an aircraft carrier into the Persian Gulf in May.
"The tensions are real," he said. "Iran has to get the message we won't tolerate it. We have free trade because the U.S. Navy secured safe sea lanes across the world. That's why the South China Sea is an important issue and the Gulf of Oman as well."
Meanwhile, Iran has said it would test the U.S. resolve, said Perdue.
"The one thing the United States has always said is we're going to have open shipping lanes in that region and around the world," said Perdue. "I think Iran has got to see the truth, that we're going to stand up for the precept of free trade and safe sea lanes."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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