Trump’s DOGE Downsized Team Tackling Middle Eastern Oil and Gas Crises
Six months before the administration began military strikes on Iran, the State Department dismissed its oil and gas specialists. Former employees told Filmogaz.com the cuts removed key expertise ahead of the current crisis. The Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed as the conflict enters its third week. Roughly 20% of global oil typically flows through that waterway.
Layoffs and lost expertise
The reductions-in-force in July 2025 eliminated Bureau of Energy Resources staff. About 1,300 State Department employees were cut last summer, officials notified Congress.
Nine former oil and gas experts from State, Treasury, Energy, and the NSC spoke to Filmogaz.com. They said the downsizing removed institutional knowledge needed for crisis planning.
Operational strain on supply
Producers have slowed or halted output across the Gulf. The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar reported reduced operations.
Iran also struck energy infrastructure, hitting storage and production facilities in the region. The result is heightened risk for global oil markets.
Capabilities that were cut
The State Department had teams that modeled infrastructure risks and planned backup options. They also tracked sanctioned oil tankers and liaised with the IEA.
The bureau would have calculated how long countries could sustain production. It evaluated alternatives like the Saudi pipeline across the peninsula.
Industry contacts and outreach gaps
Former staff members said oil companies lost obvious diplomatic points of contact. Five ex-officials now work for oil firms or industry lobbyists.
Interagency analysis and debate have reportedly slowed. Three recent departures from the NSC, Treasury, and DOE said the usual process largely ceased.
On-the-ground effects
Current employees have asked former colleagues for help in group chats. One request sought a contact for energy infrastructure work in Ukraine.
Another official could not locate a State Department representative for a Middle East meeting. Former staffers said there was no formal handover of contacts.
Voices from former officials
Geoffrey Pyatt, a former assistant secretary for energy resources, said Secretary Rubio would welcome that expertise today. He spoke about the loss of institutional memory.
One former Treasury employee told Filmogaz.com industry executives repeatedly asked who to call at State. He said many were left without a point person after the cuts.
Administration response
The State Department told Filmogaz.com the Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs is coordinating strategic reserve releases with allies. It said the bureau is pushing increased exploration and production with U.S. companies in key regions.
The department also noted it hosted a Critical Minerals Ministerial this year. That event included 55 international delegations, the statement said.
Promise of a transition that did not materialize
When the energy experts were dismissed, officials expected the DOE international affairs office to assume some responsibilities. Staffers at other agencies say that handoff never happened.
Former DOE and State employees said the department did not take on direct sanctions work or routine industry outreach. The DOE did not reply to a request for comment.
Former employees said Trump’s DOGE downsized team hampered the government’s ability to tackle Middle Eastern oil and gas crises. The gap leaves policymakers with fewer internal tools during a growing global energy emergency.
