Energy Empire Trump: The Accidental Clean Energy President
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Mar 18, 2026 James Gutman, geopolitical and energy analyst, explains how recent conflicts have upended the global oil order. He discusses the scramble for solar and batteries, China’s massive clean-energy financing, and how nations are racing for energy sovereignty. Short, sharp takes on shifting alliances, market winners and losers, and why renewables are suddenly irresistible.
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U.S. Insulation From Hormuz Shock
- U.S. consumers felt limited impact because domestic natural gas insulated them from Strait of Hormuz disruptions.
- James Gutman cites unchanged Henry Hub prices and only a ~60¢/gallon gasoline rise as reasons U.S. demand didn't collapse.
Iran's Two Tier Strait Management
- Iran implemented a de facto two-tier transit system, allowing Chinese, Pakistani, and Indian tankers safer passage near its coast.
- Gutman reports flows fell but still moved ~1 million barrels/day, routed close to Iran for control and checks.
First Order Responses Then Structural Shifts
- Governments reacted with short-term measures (SPR releases, export controls) and are signaling longer-term policy shifts toward localization and diversification.
- Gutman warns export controls could spread globally, reshaping trade flows and refinery linkages.