Trump Invokes Defense Production Act to Boost Domestic Energy Production

President Donald Trump signed five presidential determinations on Monday afternoon invoking the Defense Production Act to accelerate domestic production of oil products, natural gas, and coal, as well as the deployment of large-scale energy and grid-related infrastructure.

The orders declare these energy resources and infrastructure essential to the national defense, covering coal supply chains, domestic petroleum production and refining, natural gas and liquefied natural gas capacity, gas export facilities, pipelines, transformers, and transmission lines.

One determination specifies that processes for developing, manufacturing, and deploying large-scale energy infrastructure, including permitting and site acquisitions, are critical to national defense.

The actions come amid increasing pressure from rising oil and gas prices linked to the war in Iran, which began nearly two months ago. ' Chris Wright stated that gas prices may not fall to $3 per gallon until 2027. " — White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers, social media post (Washington Examiner).

The determinations authorize federal purchases or financial support to speed up fossil fuel and grid infrastructure development, aiming to bypass regulatory delays, infrastructure bottlenecks, and supply chain restrictions. This is not the first use of the 1950 law by the administration; in March 2025, Trump issued a similar order to boost domestic production of critical minerals.

The move aligns with Trump's campaign promises to increase domestic fossil fuel production.

Since the war in Iran started, the administration has implemented several steps to lower prices, including waiving the Jones Act, releasing stocks from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and issuing an emergency waiver for summer fuel blends. These efforts focus on addressing surging oil and gas prices through expanded domestic output and infrastructure improvements.

The determinations cover large-scale energy including natural gas, as reported across sources.