LETTER: Iran oil crisis exposes folly of resisting renewable energy

To Ozaukee Press:

For the foreseeable future, every trip to the gas pump will be a reminder of how quickly geopolitical decisions can hit Americans in the wallet. While most adults understand that oil prices are shaped by complex global factors, there are moments when a president’s actions play a direct role. This is one of them.

Donald Trump’s unilateral escalation with Iran has heightened instability in a region that underpins a significant share of the world’s oil supply. When tensions rise around critical chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz, markets react immediately—and consumers pay the price.

Equally concerning is the decision making environment surrounding the president. Effective leadership depends on informed counsel and a willingness to weigh risks. When dissenting voices in his administration are minimized or ignored, the likelihood of costly miscalculations increases. Reports that concerns about safeguarding regional oil transit were dismissed only underscore that risk.

Compounding the problem, the broader conflict has already affected energy infrastructure across the region. Damage to production and processing facilities is not easily or quickly reversed. Restoration can take years, keeping prices elevated long after hostilities subside.

At the same time, this administration has reduced support for alternative energy development—precisely the sector that could mitigate our vulnerability to these kinds of shocks. If anything, current events reinforce the strategic value of investing more aggressively in domestic renewable energy sources like wind and solar.

Keith Schmitz

Milwaukee