With the help of a few more delegates from a handful of states, including North Dakota, Donald Trump finally gathered enough to clinch the Republican nomination.
And with that news, the official Republican Presidential nominee rolled into Bismarck Thursday.
Inside Energy’s Leigh Paterson has this report.
Trump addressed the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference for nearly an hour, laying out his thoughts on the future of U.S. energy. He came out strong.
“President Obama has done everything he can to get in the way of American energy for whatever reason. “
And he quickly turned to his current rival and her oft-quoted and widely criticized comments about putting coal miners out of work:
““If Hillary can’t shut down the mines, she can really shut down our whole country and your businesses will be permanently in many cases permanently ruined.”
Trump contrasted himself to Clinton, saying he would put people back to work and grow the economy. And that connection between jobs, energy development, and economic prosperity...That was theme #1 of his speech.
“Shale energy production could add 2 million jobs. “
But putting energy workers back on the job is no easy task because the big driver behind those job losses is not Obama, or even Clinton, its the weak market for fossil fuels. And its really more a matter of supply and demand. Although we produce more oil and gas than anyone else, Trump sees federal regulations as a problem.
“America’s incredible energy potential remains untapped. Its totally self-inflicted.”
Trump wants to increase the supply of energy. Upping U.S. energy production…theme #2, will make America great again. Here’s what he had to say about U.S fossil fuel reserves..
“We’re loaded, didn’t even know it, we’re loaded. We had no idea how rich we were.”
With those riches, Trump reasoned, could come energy independence. Many economists say that concept is basically meaningless because oil, for example, is a global commodity and thus subject to global price fluctuations.
Trump didn’t talk much about how all of this energy development relates to the environment. But its still an important theme, especially in contrast with President Obama’s push for stricter environmental and climate regulations. So, here’s theme #3, pushback against rules aimed at fighting climate change:
“We’re going to cancel the Paris climate agreement. And stop. Unbelievable. And stop all payments of US tax dollars to UN global warming programs.”
Trump’s speech was pretty fossil-fuel centric but he did acknowledge the existence of fossil fuel alternatives. Trump’s vision….
“It does include nuclear and wind and solar. But not the exclusion of other forms of energy and other forms that right now are working much better. “
So, what does Donald Trump see for the future of U.S. energy? Its pretty simple:
“A Trump administration will develop an American First energy plan. America first folks, America first. Make America great again.”
