Energy Secretary Chris Wright appeared on “The Story” with FOX News host Martha MacCallum and shared what he learned touring the Middle East with President Donald Trump.

MACCALLUM: So, you know, Secretary, during the last administration, we saw a lot of these nations develop stronger ties, really, with Russia and with China as the Biden administration was not super energetic about engaging with them. We remember the very strained relationship with the Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia between Biden. Maybe we can put this up, this famous fist bump moment when President Biden approached him after calling him a pariah. So, do you think that this — does this distance Russia from some of these countries and open up a wider relationship with us and not them? WRIGHT: Absolutely, Martha. Look, all of these countries are natural allies of the United States, and they’ve all been allies of the United States since the founding of their nations. So, they’re very clear. We send our kids to American schools. We all speak English. We don’t want to speak Russian or Chinese. They are our natural allies. But that cold shoulder they got for four years, it’s a little bit disheartening, slowed investment into our country. It made them more worried about their national security. Obviously, Iran is a major threat here. They want to work with us to solve that problem where, you know, Biden gave Iran the welcome warm hug and the cold shoulder to everyone else. And I think it really set the region back, but they are ready to go. They love America. They love Americans. And, yes, I think you will see an amazing growth in the relationships with them that will bring prosperity, but I think it’s also the road to peace. President Trump is going to bring peace in the Middle East by bringing Iran back into the club of nations and ending their nuclear program. MACCALLUM: Let me ask you, if I may, you know, because for a lot of Americans they think of September 11th, when I think of Saudi Arabia and when I think of these nations who have, in the past, harbored terrorist organizations. So, what was your sense when you listened to these leaders about how sincere they are about putting that in the past and having prosperity and peace that extends and isolates those elements of their societies? WRIGHT: Oh my gosh, in talking to the Saudi leadership, I love history. So, we talk about history. I asked them about their darkest days. Their darkest days was 9/11 until 2005, for four years. And they felt shame. They felt horror. You know, obviously this wasn’t the government, this wasn’t the people I’m meeting with that did that, but that Saudi citizens did that was truly a crushing blow to that society. But think of what’s happened since then. In fact, in Saudi Arabia, for example, I don’t think we have had any society in the history of the world that is more rapidly and completely liberated women in their society in five or six years. The technical universities I visited, they are 50 percent men, 50 percent women. Women are half of the officials and people we’re dealing with, the rapid liberation involvement of women in all levels of society, it’s just tremendous. I mean, we did that in our society before, but we did it gradually. They’re doing it abruptly. They are going all in on Western values. And it’s quite exciting to see.

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