President Donald Trump said Monday that it was crucial for U.S. defense capabilities to expand and secure domestic gas production, amid record prices at the pumps across the country.
In a declaration released Monday afternoon, the president asked Energy Secretary Chris Wright to make it easier to produce, refine and transport petroleum within the country, while also seeking to expand other energy production.
“Domestic petroleum production, refining, and logistics capacity, including exploration and production, gathering and transmission pipelines, storage, and marine terminals, are industrial resources, materials, or critical technology items essential to the national defense,” the declaration read.
Failure to act now, Trump wrote—as he waived requirements that he said slow such production—would “severely impair national defense capability.”
Trump has come under increasing scrutiny over gas prices, which have risen above $6 a gallon in some states as the Iran war and subsequent on-again, off-again closure of the Strait of Hormuz presses global oil supplies.
On Sunday, it was suggested that gas below $3 would not be possible before the midterms in November.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
