What in the world is Biden thinking.
President Trump has strongly criticized President Biden’s recent decision to block oil drilling across massive portions of America’s coastlines, vowing to reverse the policy if he returns to office. During a recent interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, Trump called Biden’s move “ridiculous” and declared, “I’ll unban it immediately.”
Trump’s promise to lift the drilling restrictions, which impact over 625 million acres of U.S. coastline, is a direct challenge to the Biden administration’s energy agenda, which has placed environmental concerns ahead of energy independence. While Trump insists he has the authority to undo Biden’s actions, the legal complexities of such a move remain unclear. In his first term, Trump attempted to reinstate drilling in areas previously blocked by President Obama, but a court ruling in 2019 held that while a president can block drilling, they cannot restore it once it’s prohibited under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.
Despite this, Trump remains confident that he would be able to reverse Biden’s ban, emphasizing the importance of energy production for America’s future. “When I see a leader claiming he’s going to outlaw 625 million acres, he does not even know what that is. He does not understand the dangers, and we can not let that happen to our nation,” Trump said.
Biden’s ban covers areas with minimal offshore drilling activity, but it still marks the largest area ever restricted under any U.S. president. However, it does not affect the central and western Gulf of Mexico, where most of America’s offshore oil production occurs. Trump’s plan to restore drilling would ensure that America’s energy production remains robust, lowering reliance on foreign oil and strengthening national security.