President Trump’s quid pro quo with the Saudis to limit oil production in a desperate attempt to bail out his big oil pals may have been derailed by his own Interior Secretary David Bernhardt. Trump’s ‘deal’ with key-oil producing countries included a promise to not cut royalty rates for domestic oil producers, but his former oil lobbyist turned-Interior Secretary Bernhardt promised Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy that royalty rate reductions for outer continental shelf oil producers were on the way.
“The art of President Trump’s latest desperate deal to bail out big oil may have just been derailed by his own Interior Secretary. It appears Bernhardt’s deep ties to the very big oil corporations and associations seeking a taxpayer-funded bailout caused him to break ranks with his boss,” said Jayson O’Neill, Director of Western Values Project. “One thing is assured: Trump is more than willing to jack up prices on consumers at the gas pump in order to bail out billionaire big oil CEOs.”
Interior Secretary Bernhardt, a former mega-lobbyist for extractive corporations, represented the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA), an offshore oil and gas corporate lobbying association, prior to his appointment to Trump’s Interior Department. NOIA recently applauded calls by Congressional members for big oil royalty reductions.
“Secretary Bernhardt appears to be crossing President Trump’s orders in order to open a backdoor for big oil bailouts,” said O’Neill.
Learn more about Trump and Bernhardt’s desperate attempts to bail out big oil:
Trump To Drive Up Gas Prices In Desperate Attempt To Bailout Big Oil (4/8/20)
Oil Corporations Begging Trump For Bailout Have Decimated Western Lands (4/7/20)
Trump Putting Big Oil Bailouts Before American Families (4/3/20)
Trump’s Interior Secretary To Redelegate Land Management Authority To Pendley (4/3/20)
Senators Requesting Big Oil Bailouts Received Millions in Big Oil Donations (4/2/20)
Corporate Coal Favors Would Benefit Trump and McConnell Donors and Allies (4/1/20)
Statement: Trump Unleashing Historic Carbon Pollution During Global Pandemic (3/31/20)
Trump Opens Backdoor for Big Oil and Coal Bailout (3/31/20)
Interior to Follow EPA Rollback of Environmental Protections and Regulations for Big Oil and Coal (3/27/20)
How Much Will the Trump Administration Give Away to Big Oil? (3/24/20)
Statement: Trump’s Interior Must Suspend Pending Oil and Gas Lease Sales (3/17/20)
Congressman Pushing for Big Oil Bailouts Received Hundreds of Thousands of Big Oil Donations (3/20/20)