The Opinions Why Voters Might Finally Blame Trump for Rising Costs
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Mar 11, 2026 
Catherine Rampell, economics editor and MSNBC anchor known for sharp analysis of inflation and energy, joins to unpack how conflict in the Strait of Hormuz can ripple through global trade and drive up food and consumer costs. She connects shipping choke points to supply-chain strain. She also explains why U.S. energy output offers limited protection and how policy tools have constrained effects.
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Strait Of Hormuz Is Global Chokepoint
- The Strait of Hormuz is a 21-mile choke point that normally carries about 20% of the world's oil and much other trade.
- Iran's threats and attacks have virtually halted traffic, disrupting oil, sulfur feedstocks, and seasonal agricultural shipments tied to spring planting.
Oil Disruptions Threaten Critical Supply Chains
- Oil disruptions ripple beyond fuel to petrochemical feedstocks like sulfur used to make sulfuric acid for extracting copper and cobalt.
- That interruption threatens production of transformers, EV batteries, and other key components across industries.
Storage Constraints Deepen Supply Shortfalls
- Exporting countries like Iraq face full storage tanks because produced oil can't be shipped, causing them to cut production and deepen global supply shortfalls.
- That production gap persists even if shipping resumes, spooking markets further.