Trump contradicts energy chief on gas price timeline

President Donald Trump has publicly disagreed with Energy Secretary Chris Wright's assessment that gas prices may not fall below $3 per gallon until next year. In a phone interview with The Hill on Monday, Trump called Wright's prediction 'totally wrong,' stating that prices will drop 'as soon as this ends,' referring to the ongoing conflict with Iran. Wright, however, told CNN on Sunday that gas prices might not drop below $3 until next year, though he acknowledged that prices have likely peaked and will start declining. The average U.S. gas price stood at $4 per gallon on Monday, according to AAA. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent last week predicted gas prices could return to the $3 range by summer. The global oil industry has been impacted by Iran's restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with oil prices surging after the U.S. seized an Iranian vessel in the area. Brent crude reached around $94 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate was at roughly $88 per barrel. Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir reportedly advised Trump that the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports is a hurdle to negotiations, though Trump denied Munir recommended lifting the blockade.