In part, Senator Cotton said:
“The strategic petroleum reserve was literally built because of conflict in the Middle East. After the Arab oil embargo in 1973, we decided as a nation to create that reserve in part because we were so dependent upon Middle Eastern oil. It's not supposed to be used to help the Democrats in an election because their own runaway spending had created record inflation, and you're right that he refused to refill it.”
Senator Cotton’s full interview may be found here and below.
Sean Hannity: Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton is now asking the Department of Energy for a damage assessment on Biden's time overseeing and abusing the reserve. He joins us now with all the details. As we were heading into that midterm year of Biden, you know, months, months earlier, price of gasoline was reaching on average nationwide close to $5 a gallon if not higher. At that point, then they started releasing the oil reserves that we had. Was that done for politics? And is there any explanation they could possibly give us as to why they never replenished it?
Senator Cotton: No, Sean. I think the question answers itself. The strategic petroleum reserve was literally built because of conflict in the Middle East. After the Arab oil embargo in 1973, we decided as a nation to create that reserve in part because we were so dependent upon Middle Eastern oil. It's not supposed to be used to help the Democrats in an election because their own runaway spending had created record inflation, and you're right that he refused to refill it. But also, Sean, let's go back to President Trump's first term in 2020 at the start of the pandemic, President Trump wanted to refill it when oil had cratered to $20 or $25 a barrel. Chuck Schumer and Democrats in Congress refused to because they called it a bailout to the oil industry. Buying oil at $20 a barrel is not exactly a bailout to the oil industry. I would call that a good deal for the American taxpayers. And now here we are needing that reserve yet not having it at full capacity thanks to the Democrats reckless decision to put politics ahead of national security.
Sean Hannity: Let me ask you about Prime Minister Netanyahu's post on X yesterday, “Your dreams will become a reality when the time is right and that time is fast approaching. We will pass the torch to you. Be ready to seize the moment.” Now, that echoes what President Trump said at the beginning of this conflict that this was for future generations. He didn't want to leave our kids and grandkids with a nuclear armed Iran or one in the near future and then he said, "Be ready. You know, seize the moment. It might be a one in a generation opportunity." Is that moment coming? And how we how do you interpret it?
Senator Cotton: Well, Sean, we can certainly hope and pray for it. I think it would be not just good for the Iranian people, but good for America and the cause of stability and peace if you had a different regime in Iran. And as President Trump said in January, help is on the way. Help has arrived in the form of Epic Fury.
Sean Hannity: All right, we appreciate you, Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas.