In a Newsweek article published September 14, 2026, reporter Brendan Cole asked economic growth strategist Dan Varroney about the risks created by the shutdown of Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline and the pressure a prolonged disruption could put on global energy supplies and fuel prices.
Varroney explained that higher fuel costs leave working families with less purchasing power and small businesses with less room to hire and invest. He emphasized that duration matters: a quick repair would limit the damage, while a prolonged interruption would put greater pressure on household budgets and economic growth.