In large, white letters on the top of the official White House webpage, a headline reads, “Declaring a National Energy Emergency: Executive Order.” This public announcement first appeared on the website on January 20th, 2025, the day of Donald Trump’s inauguration into office. The declaration seems of great importance for the United States if proven to be true, yet many people are left wondering what this actually means.

In its announcement, the Trump administration states its purpose for labeling the current status of American energy an official emergency. According to its official page, “the energy and critical minerals development, production, transportation, refining, and generation capacity of the United States are all far too inadequate” to meet the nation’s needs (whitehouse.gov). It further states that the country’s “inadequate energy supply” is an “active threat” to the American people. This means that, according to the Trump administration, The United States is currently not producing enough energy to sustain and fulfill the needs of the American people. The country is lacking in oil drilling and other forms of energy production, infringing on the quality of life for Americans. Blame for this dilemma is placed on the policies of the previous administration, claiming that it has “driven our nation into a national emergency, where a precariously inadequate energy supply…requires swift action” (whitehouse.gov). What this refers to is the regulations put in place by the Biden administration in order to slow down offshore oil and gas drilling due to the environmental effects it has on our coastline, marine ecosystems, local fishing economies, and more (doi.gov). According to the official government site, the Biden administration’s restrictions on offshore oil and gas drilling have significantly impacted US production levels of energy, consequently causing a national energy crisis.

While this alleged national emergency was officially declared by the White House, no additional information or data was posted by the administration alongside the claim to back up the statement. According to National Public Radio, an announcement like this is a “presidential first” and has never been seen before in the United States (npr.org). This leads to a certain curiosity and drive to do more research on the subject. 

As of January 22nd, National Public Radio reports that “there is no shortage of fossil fuels in the U.S.” The United States is famously a net exporter of fossil fuels, meaning that it exports more than it imports from other countries. Even during the Biden administration, under environmental precautionary regulations, crude oil and petroleum exports soared near 12 million barrels per day, while imports dropped under 10 million in 2021 (the Washington Post). National Public Radio reports that the United States produces more oil and gas than any other country in the world, at any point in history, with the state of Texas leading our oil production numbers. In fact, an official analysis from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has found that the world projection of oil supply is “facing a near-term oversupply of oil and natural gas” (npr.org). So, research has been done on the status of oil production in the United States and has come back conclusive that the nation is in no apparent shortage of energy, or any sort of energy emergency.

It is unclear where the current president found research that suggested otherwise. The United States has been the world’s greatest exporter of oil since 2018, when it officially reached net-export status (eia.gov). Regardless, the United States has officially announced to be in a crisis, granting additional power to the executive branch and giving the Trump administration more power to increase harmful oil and gas drilling. As proudly stated in Donald Trump’s inaugural speech on January 20th, the United States is on course to “drill, baby, drill” (Trump).

One thing remains to confound the public. On the White House website under “administration priorities,” the Trump administration clearly states that it plans to “use all necessary resources” to empower the United States’ energy production (whitehouse.gov). Obviously, these resources heavily emphasize oil and gas drilling, but they strangely do not include wind power. Wind power is one of the most sustainable forms of energy, and it takes great shape in the American Midwest; Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota lead the nation in wind energy production because they experience favorable wind conditions and expansive land areas that lend themselves well to wind turbines (peoplescompany.com). However, the Trump administration is adamant about ending land leasing to wind farms. If the goal of the new administration is truly to increase energy production to benefit the quality of life for Americans, limiting the production of wind energy is counterproductive. 

This begs the question: what is the real exigence for the Trump administration’s call for more oil and gas drilling? The declaration of an energy emergency is not backed up by research and is objectively false. Even if it were true, why is President Trump pushing for oil and gas drilling instead of sustainable, cleaner forms of energy? As these questions remain unanswered, questioning the President’s intentions and motivations is something to keep in mind and be aware of. New policy regarding oil and gas drilling increases are dangerous to the environment, but widespread misinformation and distrust in our President’s honesty is hazardous to the integrity of the country.