President Donald Trump on Thursday introduced a "new American energy policy" that included an increased focus on nuclear power, greater imports, more offshore drilling — and a new oil pipeline to Mexico.
"The golden era of American energy is now underway," Trump told employees at the Energy Department in Washington. "And I'll go a step further: The golden era of America is now underway.
"We're going to be an exporter," he said. "Exporter. We will be dominant.
"We will export American energy all over the world, all around the globe.
"These energy exports will create countless jobs for our people and provide true energy security."
Flanked by Vice President Mike Pence, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, and EPA chief Scott Pruitt, Trump touted the nation's vast energy resources and declared his administration would work to make them available globally.
"Our country is blessed with extraordinary energy abundance, which we didn't know of, even five years ago and certainly 10 years ago," the president said.
"We have nearly 100 years' worth of natural gas and more than 250 years' worth of clean, beautiful coal.
"We are a top producer of petroleum, and the No. 1 producer of natural gas. We have so much more than we ever thought possible.
"We are really in the driving seat," Trump said. "We don't want to let other countries take away our sovereignty, and tell us what to do and how to do it."
The administration's efforts include expanding oil drilling in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, with the Interior Department rewriting a five-year drilling plan established by the Obama administration, the president said.
The move would open areas in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans that now are off-limits to drilling.
"Under the previous administration, so much of our land was closed to development," the president said. "We're opening it up. The right areas, but we're opening it up.
"America will be allowed to access the vast energy wealth located right off our shores."
He reiterated his longstanding pledge to end the "war on coal," saying the Treasury Department will work to ease barriers to selling coal to Ukraine and other countries.
"Ukraine already tells us they need millions and millions of metric tons right now," Trump said. "There are many other places that need it too.
"We want to sell it to them and to everyone else all over the globe who needs it."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.