Donald Trump offers to gut Joe Biden’s EV rules for oil execs’ support
If there’s one thing everyone in politics can agree on it’s this — everything has a price. And ex-president Donald Trump has reportedly slapped a $1 billion price tag on removing his rival’s pro-electric vehicle and environmental policies.
The Washington Post reports that the Republican candidate for U.S. president met with some of the nation’s top oil executives at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, last month. One such executive complained that, despite spending $400 million on lobbying, the Biden Administration’s environmental regulations continue to be a burden.
So, Trump offered what he called a “deal.” Raise $1 billion for his campaign and, in return, he “he vowed to immediately reverse dozens” of President Joe Biden’s environmental rules and policies, The Post reports. He also promised to prevent new rules from being enacted.
One such rule mentioned at the meeting was the Department of Energy’s freeze on permits for liquefied natural gas (LNG), which has been criticized by fossil fuel groups and celebrated by environmentalists. The pause — which applies to exports to any country the U.S. does not have a free-trade agreement with — is a big deal for oil executives. The U.S. was the largest exporter of LNG during the first half of 2023, averaging 11.6 billion cubic feet per day.
Trump also said he would auction off more leases for oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, continue to criticize wind power, and reverse restrictions on drilling in the Alaskan Arctic.
Plus, he would do away with the Environmental Protection Agency’s recently-finalized rules on tailpipe emissions, which have won praise from automakers and climate activists. The agency has said that automakers can meet its standards by ramping up EV sales, which has led to pro-oil groups — and Trump — mischaracterizing the rules as a “mandate” or “ban.”
“Joe Biden is controlled by environmental extremists who are trying to implement the most radical energy agenda in history and force Americans to purchase electric vehicles they can’t afford,” Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, said in a statement.
According to a guest list obtained by The Post, the meeting was attended by Venture Global CEO Mike Sabel and Cheniere Energy CEO Jack Fusco. Other attendees included officials at Chevron, Continental Resources, Exxon Mobil, and Occidental Petroleum.
