Trump Signs Memos to Boost US Fossil Fuel Production Citing National Security
President Donald Trump has released a series of memorandums that reinforce his commitment to increasing domestic fossil fuel production, citing concerns over national defense readiness. The memos, issued on Monday, build upon an executive order from 20 January 2025 that declared a national energy emergency.
National Security Justification for Energy Expansion
Trump's directives argue that the United States must expand its production of oil, coal, and natural gas to prevent a shortfall in industrial resources or critical technologies that could severely impair national defense capabilities. One memorandum emphasized that the current "inadequate and intermittent energy supply" leaves the nation vulnerable to hostile foreign actors and poses a growing threat to both prosperity and security.
"Consistent with that declaration, I find that ensuring resilient domestic petroleum production, refining, and logistics capacity is central to United States defense readiness," Trump stated. He further noted that petroleum fuels the armed forces, industrial base, and crucial infrastructure, warning that without immediate federal action, defense capabilities remain at risk of disruption.
Invocation of the Defense Production Act
The memorandums invoke the Defense Production Act, a cold-war era law that grants the president authority to protect U.S. defense efforts by expediting the supply of materials and services from the domestic industrial base. Trump has directed the energy secretary to implement this determination, including through necessary purchases, commitments, and financial instruments to enable related projects.
Background of Trump's Energy Policies
Since assuming his second term in office, Trump has actively worked to bolster the U.S. oil and gas industry, which donated more than $75 million to his campaign. His actions include:
- Signing an order aimed at "unleashing American energy."
- Overturning vehicle-emissions standards.
- Curtailing restrictions on petroleum expansion in Alaska.
- Removing Joe Biden's January 2024 pause on approving liquefied natural gas export applications to certain countries.
In December 2024, the White House released an analysis indicating that expanding liquefied natural gas exports would increase domestic costs, highlighting potential economic trade-offs.
Economic and Political Context
Trump's memos come as tens of millions of Americans face rising gas prices, exacerbated by the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran, which has disrupted global oil markets and industries dependent on petroleum, such as fertilizer. Although recent diplomatic efforts had temporarily lowered oil prices, costs spiked again after the U.S. seized an Iranian ship.
Ever-rising gas prices could pose challenges for Trump, who campaigned on populist promises of affordability. This issue is compounded by broader increases in the cost of living across the United States. The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts that overall food prices will rise 3.6% in 2026, with food-at-home costs increasing 3.1% and food-away-from-home costs rising 3.9%. Both figures exceed the 20-year historical average for price increases, according to the USDA.
