Transportation Secretary Duffy projects 'immediate relief' on gas prices once the Strait of Hormuz opens

After a week of U.S. gas prices surging again, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy struck an optimistic tone Sunday about how quickly prices could fall once the war ends, arguing that there will be "immediate relief once the Strait [of Hormuz] opens."

Again, we're now navigating the safety through the Strait of Hormuz and also trying to navigate the -- the nuclear material that Iran has and that's taking a little bit longer and that's going to play out over the next several weeks," Duffy told ABC News' "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz. "You're going to start to see immediate relief once the strait opens and supply flows again."

The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has sent fuel costs soaring -- up nearly 40 cents from last week's average of $4.05, according to GasBuddy -- on top of the already high prices. The average price per gallon has risen about $1.50 since the start of the war on Feb. 28.

According to a ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll released Friday, Americans have increasingly pessimistic views about their own economic situation and high gas prices: 44% of respondents said they have cut back on driving because of high gas prices, and roughly a third said they had changed travel or vacation plans.

When presented with the poll's findings, Duffy said that because of President Donald Trump's energy policies, the U.S. is not threatened with any risk of fuel shortages like some other countries may be, even while confronted with high costs.

"That point is why the president has focused so hard on energy pricing and American energy dominance," Duffy said. "The president has leaned into American energy dominance."

Duffy also pointed to Trump's signature tax and spending bill, which led to larger tax refunds for some Americans this tax season. But in an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll released Sunday, Americans' approval of Trump's handling of taxes -- 38% approve, 61% disapprove -- was nearly identical to his overall approval rating -- 37% approve, 62% disapprove.

Still, Duffy suggested that highergas prices are a worthy cost to pay for preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon -- one of the president's main objectives for attacking Iran in the first place.

"Energy prices have come up. You're right. And again, you have to look at the president to say, what does a leader do? What does a president do when he sees a potential nuclear Iran? He's not going to tolerate it," Duffy said.

"Again, we're going to get back to lower energy prices," Duffy added. "When the strait opens up, those prices come down and Americans travel, and it's -- I think our economy is going to be set up for something that we haven't seen before in regard to American wealth and American opportunity."

The increase in fuel costs does not just affect consumers at the pump. Airlines have been forced to raise fares and additional fees as they are increasingly pressured by the cost of jet fuel.

Budget carrier Spirit Airlines ceased operations completely early Saturday morning. The airline had declared bankruptcy multiple times and had struggled financially for years, but its president pointed to the higher jet fuel costs in his statement announcing the liquidation.

"The sudden and sustained rise in fuel prices in recent weeks ultimately has left us with no alternative but to pursue an orderly wind-down of the Company," Spirit President and CEO Dave Davis said.

Duffy blamed the Joe Biden administration Sunday for Spirit's failures because his Justice Department sued to block a merger between Spirit and JetBlue.

"Spirit tried to merge with JetBlue, the Joe Biden-Pete Buttigieg administration and DOJ tanked that deal. Immediately after that, they filed for bankruptcy," Duffy said. "They filed for bankruptcy again last year. They were bleeding money. And so this was in the works for some time. They were going to have to liquidate."

After Biden's Justice Department sued, a federal judge agreed with the claim that Spirit and JetBlue would raise costs for American consumers and violate antitrust law and blocked the merger.

Duffy said he was "proud" of other U.S. airlines stepping up to help Spirit customers who need to rebook travel and Spirit employees who he said now "have special access to apply for jobs with other American airlines."