“We’ve never used energy as a political weapon. Never,” said Wright.
Wright claimed that European governments undermined their own energy security by limiting domestic oil and gas production while still relying on hydrocarbons. He stressed that U.S. exports are managed by private companies under contracts, not by the government for geopolitical reasons.
A day earlier, Wright had intensified U.S. criticism of the IEA, accusing it of straying from its core energy security mission by adopting net zero goals. He argued the agency had moved towards an “anti-energy” agenda that could drive up prices and limit supply.
On Tuesday, he warned the U.S. could withdraw from the IEA if it did not change direction — a proposal rejected by several countries, including the U.K., Austria, and France.
But on Thursday, Wright softened his stance. “We desperately do not want to withdraw … We just want to bring it back to reality. We don’t want to leave,” he said.
He contended that Washington’s effort to redirect the agency had gained meaningful — though mostly private — support. “There’s a fair amount of support. Most of it’s quiet behind the scenes,” Wright stated, pledging to use “all the pressure we have” to guide the agency back towards energy security and “energy addition.”
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