President Donald Trump says the U.S. is “locked and loaded” and ready to respond to an attack on the world’s largest oil processing plant, but will wait for more confirmation from Saudi Arabia.
“There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom,” Trump said Sunday evening referring to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
A weekend of drone attacks targeted Saudi Arabia’s state-run oil company Saudi Aramco, which is the second-largest oil producer in the world. The attack is currently roiling markets with oil prices surging upward ahead of the open Monday.
Trump said he would release oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve in response to the attacks potentially impacting oil prices.
Trump also is apparently trying to ward off concerns by tweeting “PLENTY OF OIL!”
A group of Yemeni rebels known as the Houthis have taken credit for the drone strikes, but Trump administration officials like Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have blamed Iran.
[Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images]