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Donald Trump Reacts to Joe Biden Stopping Him From Drilling: ‘Disgraceful’

Donald Trump’s spokeswoman has said that President Joe Biden’s move to ban new offshore oil and gas drilling in most U.S coastal waters is “disgraceful.”

“This is a disgraceful decision designed to exact political revenge on the American people who gave President Trump a mandate to increase drilling and lower gas prices,” Karoline Leavitt wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.

“Rest assured, Joe Biden will fail, and we will drill, baby, drill.”

Why It Matters

Biden’s move is an effort to prevent the incoming Trump administration from expanding offshore drilling.

His actions could be difficult for Trump to undo, since they would likely require an act of Congress to repeal.

Trump, who takes office on January 20, promised to increase domestic oil and gas production on the presidential campaign trial.

“I make this pledge to the great people of America, I will end the devastating inflation crisis immediately, bring down interest rates and lower the cost of energy,” Trump said during his speech at the Republican National Convention in July last year. “We will drill, baby, drill.”

Donald Trump
Donald Trump speaking in Phoenix, Arizona, in December. Trump’s spokeswoman has said that President Joe Biden’s move to ban new offshore oil and gas drilling is “disgraceful.” Rick Scuteri/AP

What To Know

Biden, who has just two weeks left of his presidency, said he is using authority under the federal Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to safeguard coastal waters along the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and parts of Alaska’s Northern Bering Sea from future oil and natural gas leasing.

His orders would not affect large swaths of the Gulf of Mexico, where most U.S. offshore drilling occurs.

However, it would protect coastlines along multiple states from future drilling, including California and Florida.

“My decision reflects what coastal communities, businesses and beachgoers have known for a long time: that drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs. It is not worth the risks,” Biden said in a statement on Monday.

“As the climate crisis continues to threaten communities across the country and we are transitioning to a clean energy economy, now is the time to protect these coasts for our children and grandchildren.”

What People Are Saying

President Biden said: “We do not need to choose between protecting the environment and growing our economy, or between keeping our ocean healthy, our coastlines resilient, and the food they produce secure and keeping energy prices low. Those are false choices. Protecting America’s coasts and ocean is the right thing to do, and will help communities and the economy to flourish for generations to come.”

Joseph Gordon, campaign director for Oceana, an advocacy organization dedicated to ocean conservation, told Newsweek: “This is an epic ocean victory!”

Gordon thanked Biden “for listening to the voices from coastal communities and contributing to the bipartisan tradition of protecting our coasts.”

He added: “Our coastlines are home to millions of Americans and support billions of dollars of economic activity that depend on a clean coast, abundant wildlife, and thriving fisheries. President Biden’s new protections add to this bipartisan history, including President Trump’s previous withdrawals in the southeastern United States in 2020. Our treasured coastal communities are now safeguarded for future generations.”

Drew Caputo, the vice president of litigation for lands, wildlife and oceans at Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization, said: “President Biden just made a powerful investment in the resiliency of communities, regional economies, and marine wildlife across the coastal United States.

“These protective policies will ensure safer conditions and more room for prosperity for millions of people living along American coasts, for thousands of businesses that rely on undisturbed oceans, and for vulnerable wildlife. Our work ahead is clear: we’ll continue the fight to ensure that Gulf communities in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama can also increasingly live without the threat from offshore drilling on their front doorstep.”

Mike Sommers, the president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute, said in a statement: “American voters sent a clear message in support of domestic energy development, and yet the current administration is using its final days in office to cement a record of doing everything possible to restrict it.

“Congress and the incoming administration should fully leverage the nation’s vast offshore resources as a critical source of affordable energy, government revenue and stability around the world. We urge policymakers to use every tool at their disposal to reverse this politically motivated decision and restore a pro-American energy approach to federal leasing.”

Last modified: January 7, 2025

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