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Secretary Wright on Fox News: SPR Refill at About $57 a Barrel, Nuclear Stockpile Secure During Shutdown

October 22, 2025 · U.S. Department of Energy · 0:05:07

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What happened

Energy Secretary Chris Wright told Fox News’ Bill Hemmer that U.S. oil production is at an all-time high and credited President Trump’s pro-energy messaging, according to the interview. The host cited AAA figures showing gasoline below $3 in 35 states with a national average of $3.06, as stated in the segment.

On the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Wright said the administration announced it would buy about a million barrels and is buying at about $57 a barrel; the host contrasted that with an $80 figure under the prior administration, and Wright said the difference on a million barrels is $25 million and will be billions over time as the reserve is gradually refilled, according to the interview. He said the prior administration drained over 200 million barrels from the reserve, as stated in his remarks.

Asked about the shutdown’s effect on the nuclear workforce — the host cited about 1,400 furloughed employees with about 375 remaining on the job — Wright said maintaining the nuclear stockpile is among the highest-stress parts of his job, that nearly 100,000 people in the broader effort are contractors, and that the administration found funding to keep workers on site through the end of the month, according to the interview. He said the stockpile is secure today and would never be compromised, while modernization work is what slows during the furloughs, as stated in his remarks.

Why it matters

The interview pairs a consumer-facing gas-price victory lap with two checkable management claims — the SPR purchase price and the shutdown funding runway for the nuclear security workforce.

Sources: U.S. Department of Energy, “Secretary Wright Joins Bill Hemmer on Fox News – October 22, 2025”, 2025-10-22 (official upload, embedded above; published 2025-10-22). Transcript via Supadata (private research store, paraphrased and attributed, not republished). All figures and characterizations as stated by the speakers.