California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) publicly criticized Chris Wright, former Energy Secretary under Donald Trump, for his comments regarding rising gas prices, which Newsom attributed to the ongoing conflict with Iran. In a post on X, Newsom's office referred to Wright as a 'Big Oil Shill' after he stated that oil operates in a global market, suggesting that the U.S. should end its involvement in the Iran war to help stabilize gas prices. This criticism comes as California faces rising fuel costs, with the state’s average gas price recently reported at $5.993 per gallon, a decrease from previous weeks. Additionally, the Newsom administration has defended a tax increase on gasoline, which was voted on in 2018, asserting it was necessary to adjust for inflation. The reopening of the Sable Offshore Pipeline has also been met with backlash due to concerns over environmental safety, as the pipeline was previously shut down following a significant oil spill in 2015.