Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent abruptly stepped away from a live television interview Thursday morning after being summoned to the White House Situation Room, underscoring the fast-moving nature of the conflict involving Iran and the economic consequences now rippling through global energy markets.
Bessent had been speaking with Sky News reporter Wilfred Frost when the interruption occurred. At approximately 10:22 a.m. EDT, while the interview was underway, a voice off camera informed him that the president needed him immediately.
“The president wants you right away,” a woman’s voice could be heard saying.
Frost acknowledged the sudden development as Bessent left his seat.
“See you shortly, Mr. Secretary,” the reporter said as the treasury secretary exited.
The interview resumed nearly two hours later, when Bessent returned to continue the conversation at about 12:02 p.m. Frost remarked that the unusual pause appeared to be a first during one of his interviews before asking about President Trump and whether the mounting tensions surrounding the U.S. military operation in Iran were weighing heavily on him.
Bessent dismissed the notion that the president was under visible strain.
“No, the president is in great spirits,” he said. “The Iranian mission is proceeding well ahead of schedule.”
The treasury secretary also offered personal praise for the administration’s national security leadership. He noted that his own family has been closely considering military service, adding that the confidence he has in the country’s leadership gives him reassurance.
“I have a teenager who’s considering military service,” Bessent said. “And I could give this teen my highest compliment from President Trump to the head of the Joint Chiefs to the secretary of War.”
He specifically referenced Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Dan Caine and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“I would trust my child’s life in their hands,” Bessent said.
The White House did not immediately provide details about the Situation Room meeting that interrupted the interview.
Beyond the military developments, Bessent also addressed one of the most immediate economic flashpoints tied to the conflict: the Strait of Hormuz. The narrow waterway is a critical global shipping route for oil, and Iran has moved to close it amid the ongoing hostilities involving the United States and Israel.
Bessent suggested that ensuring safe passage for tankers could involve cooperation beyond the United States alone.
“Look, that was always in our planning, that there’s the chance that U.S. Navy or perhaps an international coalition will be escorting oil tankers through,” he said.
Despite the tense situation, Bessent indicated that some vessels are still managing to move through the waterway.
“There are, in fact, tankers coming through now, Iranian tankers, I believe some Chinese-flagged tankers have come through, so, we know that they have not mined the straits,” he added.
President Trump said Wednesday that the strait was in “great shape.” However, the situation appeared to escalate shortly afterward when Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, ordered the passage for oil tankers to remain closed.
The closure has already produced dangerous consequences. Several vessels in the strait have come under attack. Three ships were struck by unidentified projectiles, triggering a fire aboard a Thai bulk carrier known as Mayuree Naree. Following the incident, three of the vessel’s 23 crew members were reported missing.
The instability in the region has also had immediate economic consequences back home. Gas prices across the United States have surged as the situation unfolds. According to data from AAA, the national average price reached $3.63 per gallon on Friday, a sharp jump from $2.94 just a month earlier.
Oil prices have also climbed rapidly. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned Wednesday that crude could rise as high as $200 per barrel if the conflict continues.
The developments highlight the far-reaching effects of turmoil in the Middle East, where military decisions can quickly translate into economic consequences felt by families and businesses around the world.
[READ MORE: Hegseth Slams CNN Coverage of Iran War]
