U.S. President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act and signed five memoranda to bolster domestic energy supplies and production.
Trump Invokes Defense Production Act
U.S. President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA), a Cold War-era law, and signed five memoranda aimed at increasing domestic energy supplies and production.
The documents, signed on Monday, are intended to provide federal funding for a range of energy projects, according to Bloomberg. The White House stated Trump signed memoranda concerning coal supply chains, domestic fuel production, and documents related to natural gas, LNG, and the energy grid infrastructure.
Rising Fuel Costs Prompt Action
The President’s move comes as fuel prices and energy costs rise in the U.S., exacerbated by conflicts involving the U.S. and Israel with Iran, media reports indicate.
The 1950 DPA grants the president significant authority to increase private industrial production of goods deemed critical to U.S. security, Axios reported. Both Trump and former President Joe Biden have previously invoked the DPA.
White House Statement on Energy Infrastructure
“Today’s actions allow the Department of Energy to leverage resources secured through the so-called ‘one big beautiful bill’ to strengthen our energy grid infrastructure and ensure reliable, affordable, and safe energy,” stated White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers.
The “one big beautiful bill” refers to a budget law with Donald Trump’s campaign promises, signed by him last summer.