Florida – Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat from Rhode Island, has warned former President Donald Trump of a possible new investigation over his alleged promises to Big Oil. According to a recent Washington Post article, Trump, the leading GOP presidential candidate, reportedly offered a deal to top oil executives at a dinner last month at Mar-a-Lago. He suggested that if they could raise $1 billion for his campaign, he would overturn President Joe Biden’s environmental rules and prevent the implementation of new regulations, as reported by sources familiar with the meeting.
$1 billion to fund his campaign
The Post’s sources indicate that Trump pitched this $1 billion contribution as a “deal” because of the tax breaks and relaxed regulations the oil executives would enjoy if he returned to office. Whitehouse, who is already investigating Big Oil as chair of the Senate Budget Committee, told The New Republic on Saturday that his committee is “highly likely” to scrutinize these new revelations. He described the inquiry as a “natural extension of the investigation already underway.”
Both the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight and Accountability Committee have been investigating the oil industry for years, recently presenting findings that reveal Big Oil publicly backs climate goals but privately expresses doubts. These companies deny accusations of misleading the public about their role in climate change, claims primarily made by Democrats. Representatives from Exxon, BP, and Shell insist that their companies are committed to a greener future.
After reading The Washington Post’s account of Trump’s reported promises to Big Oil, Whitehouse immediately thought of “quid pro quo.” He referenced a recent article that highlighted how Big Oil is crafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins the upcoming presidential election. These orders focus on expanding natural gas exports, reducing drilling expenses, and increasing offshore oil leasing.
“Put those things together and it starts to look mighty damn corrupt,” Whitehouse said.
Trump previous comments on presidency
During a town hall event hosted by Fox News host Sean Hannity in December, Hannity pressed Trump to pledge that he would never “abuse power as retribution against anybody,” as had been suggested previously, if he’s reelected. In response, Trump suggested that he would only behave in such a way on the first day of his hypothetical second term.
“Except for day one,” the former president said. “No, no, no, other than day one. We’re closing the border and we’re drilling, drilling, drilling. After that, I’m not a dictator.” His drilling comment was a reference to his vow to expand oil drilling in the United States. He later said that the comments were in a “joking manner.” Trump also said that “I’m not going to have time for retribution.”
What’s the promise
According to three people present at a recent dinner with Donald Trump, the former president promised oil executives that he would reverse Biden’s halt on new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export permits. “You’ll get it on the first day,” Trump reportedly assured, one attendee shared. On his own first day in office back in 2021, Biden reinstated or bolstered over 100 environmental rules that Trump had previously weakened or removed.
Read also: Missouri AG’s demand puts Biden’s Department of Justice in hot seat over Trump
With just six months to go before the next election, which is shaping up to be a Biden-Trump rematch, the Biden administration is working to implement ten new environmental regulations. Among these changes is a policy that would raise the cost for Big Oil to drill on public land
