Trump-Xi Summit Could Lower Gas Prices, GOP Chairman Says

Gas Prices and the Strait of Hormuz

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast told Fox News that a deal with China could lower gas prices for Americans. He argues that China is the main force pushing up the cost of living right now. Mast said China “probably is the number one actor that is working to raise those prices,” with its support for Iran and Russia. The current national average for a gallon of gas is $4.47, which is up more than 30 cents since September 3. If President Trump can get China to stop arming Iran, the price at the pump could drop significantly.

China is helping Iran attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which blocks global oil trade. Mast said the United States is trying to protect those resources and the civilians on the ships. In the past two months, Trump transported more than a billion barrels of oil via that strategic waterway. According to reports, Trump transported more than 2,000 vessels, specifically civilian merchant ships, across the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has moved nothing, yet the markets still see instability. According to reports, Trump possesses a prime opportunity on Thursday to urge President Xi to ease that support.

A Mother’s Plea for Freedom

While leaders meet, an American woman is asking President Trump to help free her mother from a Chinese prison. Ziba Murat told Fox News that her mother, Dr. Gulshar Abbas, has been locked up for eight years. She disappeared from her home on September 10, 2018, just six days after her sister spoke about Uyghur oppression. Chinese officials later said she was convicted of terrorism and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Murat describes those charges as “made up” and says her mother is just a retired doctor and a grandma.

Murat was a guest of House Speaker Mike Johnson at the State of the Union speech. She believes the upcoming summit offers a real chance to bring her mother home. Murat declared, “We are doing everything we can to bring this in front of President Trump, and I know that if he knows about this case, he will care about this case.” She remarked, “I hope we are pulling the right levers and President Trump can bring her home.” Through tears, she described the pain of raising a child without her own mother nearby. Murat explained, “It’s been hard because, like I said, I was a new mom myself when all this started happening.”

Senators Weigh In on the Strategy

Senator John Kennedy offered a sharp view on the situation during a broadcast on Fox News. He called the leaders of Iran, China, North Korea, and Russia “reptiles” who cannot be trusted. Kennedy said the chief of this group is President Xi in China. He noted that China could open the Strait of Hormuz tomorrow if it told Iran to stop. Instead, China is choosing not to, which keeps the oil route closed. Kennedy said the president will have to decide if it is time to let other countries deal with the problem.

He argued that the U.S. has already achieved its goals and knocked out Iran’s air defenses. Intelligence is so good that the U.S. would know within minutes if Iran restarts its nuclear program. Kennedy said the only real problem now is the closed strait. He warned that China, Russia, and Europe will pay a higher price for the closed route than America will. The summit on Thursday marks President Trump’s third meeting with Xi of this term. It is also Xi’s first visit to the U.S. since Trump returned to the White House last year.