Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum delivered a blistering rebuke of California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday, accusing Newsom of creating a self-inflicted energy crisis as he blames President Donald Trump for his state’s near-record high gas prices. Burgum’s comments follow months of escalations from Newsom, who has characterized the recent spike in fuel costs as “Donald Trump’s crisis.” Newsom argues that the president’s aggressive foreign policy and military actions in Iran have destabilized global oil markets, sending California’s prices to a staggering $6.15 per gallon this month. “California hasn’t changed anything as it relates to that cost,” Newsom insisted, claiming that state-level baseline costs have remained static. “The cost at the pump has been for one reason: Donald Trump’s recklessness as it relates to the war in Iran, period, full stop.” In March, Newsom dismissed Trump’s “Drill Baby Drill” mantra as a “lie to enrich Big Oil donors,” claiming that American families are paying $1.5 billion more at the pump weekly while corporations “cash in on Trump’s chaos.” Burgum took the governor to the woodshed, dismantling Newsom’s narrative by pointing to California’s specific policy choices. Burgum highlighted that California has intentionally isolated itself from the American energy grid, effectively becoming an “energy island.” “California is leading in highest energy prices, highest taxes, and out-migration,” Burgum stated. “They’ve blocked every pipeline, they block transmission lines … and then they’re complaining to this administration about their high energy prices.” Burgum noted a startling vulnerability in California’s infrastructure: the state is uniquely dependent on oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz. While the rest of the country has increased domestic energy security, California imports roughly 60% of its oil by ship. Burgum also pointed to the systematic dismantling of California’s refining capacity, noting the state has plummeted from 40 refineries to just six, while Texas continues to expand its capacity.