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Trump laid out a sweeping energy agenda. Here are all the key actions he took on day one


Washington, DC – January 20: President Donald Trump signs a series of executive orders at the White House on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Jabin Botsford | The Washington Post | Getty Images

President Donald Trump launched a major offensive on energy during his first hours in office, issuing a series of executive orders to boost fossil fuel production and roll back US commitments to fight climate change.

It is unclear what impact Trump’s initial actions will have on the energy industry. The CEOs of Exxon and Chevron they said oil and gas production levels are based on market conditions and are unlikely to change significantly in response to Trump’s desire to “drill, baby, drill.” The United States has been the world’s largest oil and gas producer for years. And some of Trump’s orders will likely be challenged in court.

However, the president made a clear political statement that the United States is abandoning the Biden administration’s focus on fighting climate change through a transition to cleaner energy sources.

Instead, Trump is prioritizing fossil fuel projects to “solidify the United States as a global energy leader long into the future.” Here are the key actions Trump has taken so far on energy.

1. Declare an energy emergency

Trump declared a national energy emergencyarguing that the United States faces a “precariously inadequate and intermittent energy supply, and an increasingly unreliable grid” that threatens national security.

Demand for electricity is expected in the coming years from data centers supporting artificial intelligence and the expansion of domestic manufacturing. The largest grid operator in the United States, PJM Interconnection, has warned that it could face electricity shortages as coal plants are retired faster than new capacity is connected to the grid.

Trump ordered federal agencies to identify and exercise any emergency legal authority available to facilitate the production, transportation, refining and generation of domestic energy sources. He also ordered agencies to use all available emergency authorities to expedite new energy infrastructure projects.

2. Rolls back climate commitments

Trump ordered the United States to begin withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement. The landmark international treaty seeks to limit global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Under the terms of the treaty, a country can withdraw from the agreement one year after giving notice that it intends to withdraw. But Trump’s executive order says the United States will consider its withdrawal to be effective as soon as the United Nations secretary general receives written notification.

Trump also canceled the ambitious goals of the Biden administration that aimed for half of new car sales to be electric vehicles, for the electric grid to be free of carbon pollution, and for the economy to produce net zero emissions.

3. Expand drilling, natural gas exports

Trump issued an order to impeach Biden ban oil and gas drilling in most coastal waters of the United States. It is unclear whether Trump actually has the authority to do this and the order will likely face litigation. A federal court struck down a similar order by Trump during his first term that sought to overturn President Barack Obama’s decision to protect waters in the Arctic and Atlantic.

Trump also issued an order on Monday that aims to maximize production natural resources in Alaska. The order prioritizes the development of liquefied natural gas projects and directs the federal government to accelerate the authorization and leasing of energy projects in the state.

The president reversed the Biden administration’s pause on new liquefied natural gas export facilities. Trump ordered the Secretary of Energy to begin reviewing new LNG projects as soon as possible.

4. Rolls back clean energy incentive

Trump ordered all federal agencies to immediately pause the disbursement of funds under the Inflation Reduction Actthe Biden-era climate law that provided financial support for clean energy.

The president specifically ordered an end to funding for electric vehicle charging stations. He also ordered his administration to consider ending subsidies and other policies that favor electric vehicles.

Trump targeted wind energy in a stand-alone executive order. The president temporarily suspended new or renewed leases for offshore and onshore wind projects. It also halted the leasing of wind power projects on the outer continental shelf.

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