‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ Is Working

        Well, so much for the vaunted renewable energy “transition” to save the planet. This was always a fable. We get 80% of our energy from fossil fuels, and with Donald Trump now in the White House, that ratio is rising, not falling.

        A Reuters headline from recent days tells the real story: “US crude production to hit record 13.41 million (barrels per day) in 2025 before falling.”

        The data from the International Energy Agency tells the same story about clean natural gas: We’re producing more of it than ever before. Why shouldn’t we? The U.S. has greater access to clean, cheap, reliable and made-in-America natural gas than any other nation. Natural gas is far cheaper and less land-intensive than ugly wind and solar farms that industrialize America’s natural landscape beauty.

        All told, American energy in the ground is a $50 trillion treasure chest right under our feet. The commercial value of this abundance is — nearly enough to pay off our entire national debt. We would be lunatic to leave it in the ground.

        The rapid revival of America as an energy superpower under Trump should come as no surprise. This is continuation of a 15-year trend thanks to the fracking and horizontal drilling revolution that has nearly tripled U.S. annual production.

        Even under Joe Biden — who was as green as poison ivy — oil and gas production hit new highs. But that was mostly due to the sharp rise in oil prices when Biden became president.

        Crude was over $100 in 2022 and generally ranged between $70 and $85 for the rest of Biden’s term. At $100 a barrel, drillers will search for oil in your backyard. If it were not for Biden’s environmental regulations and the cancellation of vital energy infrastructure, such as the Keystone XL pipeline, we would have produced far more oil under Biden. Gas wouldn’t have gone up to $5 a gallon.

        What’s impressive about the Trump oil production spike is that it’s happened even as the global spot price of oil has fallen. In other words, we’re getting the best of both worlds: made-in-America energy AND low prices at the pump. The Energy Information Administration reports forecasts that gas prices will keep falling to below $3 a gallon by next year. That is, unless you live in California, where gas still costs above $5 a gallon.

        Let’s not forget the national security benefits from this pro-drilling strategy. More U.S. drilling means less profits for Iran, Russia and other enemies of freedom. It weakens Vladimir Putin’s hand and drives him to the negotiating table since the Russian economy is dependent on natural gas exports for survival.

        This story is a helpful reminder that policy directly impacts everyone’s lives, and that a president’s policies matter. One of Biden’s first executive orders was to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline to slow oil and gas delivery across the country. Trump rescinded the order on the first day of his second term, making oil and gas production a national security and economic priority.

        As a result, we are looking at a future with America dominating global energy markets, and prices here at home continuing to fall.

        Stephen Moore is a former Trump senior economic adviser and the cofounder of Unleash Prosperity, which advocates for education freedom for all children.

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