Trump will declare ‘national energy emergency,’ incoming White House official says

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WASHINGTON, Jan 20 - U.S. president-elect Donald Trump will sign an executive order declaring a national energy emergency aimed at boosting U.S. oil and gas production, lowering costs for U.S. consumers and boosting U.S. competitiveness, an official with the incoming White House said on Monday.

Trump, who vowed during his campaign to “drill, baby, drill,” will also sign an executive order focused on Alaska, the official said, adding that the state was critical to U.S. national security and could allow exports of LNG to other parts of the United States and allies.

Boosting energy supplies is critical to generate sufficient electricity needed for America’s competitive race against China in the area of artificial intelligence, the official said.

No details were provided for either measure, but the official said Trump’s orders would cut “the red tape and the burden and regulations” to boost U.S. energy production and lower costs for American consumers.

The official said there was no specific target for the oil price, adding that the Trump administration aimed to ensure an abundance of American energy that would allow prices to drop.

“The common theme is really unleashing affordable and reliable American energy,” the official said. “Because energy permeates every single part of our economy, it’s also key to restoring our national security and exerting American energy dominance around the world.”

The energy order would unleash different unspecified emergency authorities, the official said, adding that Trump would also reverse efforts by the outgoing Biden administration to encourage development of electric vehicles and set requirements for energy efficiency of common household appliances, the official said.

On the Alaska initiative, the official said Trump would take “decisive action to unleash Alaska’s natural resource potential,” citing an abundance of resources such as oil and gas, seafood, timber and critical minerals. No further details were provided, but the official said past regulations by the Interior and Agriculture departments had limited Alaska’s production.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal, David Lawder and Dan Burns; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Alistair Bell)