The Trump administration has initiated a large-scale operation to draw down the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, officially requesting the market to release 86 million barrels of crude oil through an exchange mechanism. This move opens the first phase of the previously announced release of 172 million barrels. The emergency measure is intended to stabilize global markets and reduce fuel prices, which have surged since the beginning of the US military operation in Iran.

The US Department of Energy expects the first shipments of crude oil by the end of next week. This intervention is part of a coordinated package with international partners, totaling 400 million barrels. The terms of the deal stipulate that recipient companies will be required to return the borrowed oil to the reserve with an additional "premium" in barrels. The deadline to submit bids for participation in the tender is 5:00 PM Central Time on March 17. In the long term, the White House plans to replenish the reserves by purchasing approximately 200 million barrels within the next year, which would create a 20% surplus relative to the current withdrawal volume.

The aggressive use of the SPR is directly linked to rising gasoline and aviation fuel prices within the United States, which is placing critical pressure on households ahead of the November midterm elections. With shipping paralyzed in the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil traffic passes, the administration is leveraging reserves as a primary tool to combat the inflation shock.

Despite a temporary drop in oil futures prices in response to the news, analysts remain skeptical. Experts doubt that even such significant interventions can fully offset the structural deficit caused by the Persian Gulf blockade. The Department of Energy's strategy now officially prioritizes immediate relief for consumers in an effort to prevent the American economy from sliding into a recession.