'What struck me': Trump official shocks CNN hosts with major Iran war concession

CNN's John Berman was staggered by a high-ranking administration official's comments about President Donald Trump's view of global energy shocks.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright appeared Thursday morning on "CNN News Central," where he told co-host Kate Bolduan that the 79-year-old president was thinking long term and therefore not concerned with short-term disruptions in the global oil market caused by his war in Iran.

"President Trump's thinkinglong term, he's not thinkingabout next month," Wright said. "He's thinkingabout what's best for the American people, what's best forthe American economy, and whatbrings safety to our troops inthe region and bringsprosperity to the Middle East."

Berman was astonished by the cabinet official's characterization of Trump's thinking as oil prices near $100 a barrel and tankers remain stranded in the Persian Gulf due to threats from Iran if they pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

"What struck me there iswhen he said President Trump notthinking about the next month," Berman said. "Oil prices are at $93 a barrel. He said it's unlikely, but notimpossible, they go to 200. Iwas thinking about what Republicans, elected Republicansaround the country might bethinking when they heard that President Trump's not thinkingabout the next month."

Republican lawmakers generally support the military operation against Iran, according to CNN's David Chalian, but they're nervous about the possibility of long-term conflict.

"So what we're hearing from Republicans on Capitol Hill is not that they are not supportive of the president's efforts here in Iran – most of them are – but what we are hearing a lot of is looking for some kind of end-game plan, how the U.S. gets out of this successfully and the president turns the attention back to the number one issue for American voters which is their economic situation," Chalian said.

Berman pointed out that the president was clearly not focused on domestic issues since launching Operation Epic Fury.

"Obviously, when he's focused so much on Iran, that's not focused on the economic situation," he said. "But if he is focused on something domestically, it doesn't really appear to be the economic situation, either. He's obsessed with this battle right now inside the Republican Party in the Senate, mostly over the SAVE America Act."

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