Just over one year into his second term, President Donald Trump has quietly delivered on one of his key 2024 campaign promises to “unleash American energy” and drive down costs for consumers. While most corporate media outlets have largely failed to cover it, the administration has racked up a remarkable record of success that is becoming impossible to ignore.
New government data from the Department of Energy (DOE) shows American energy dominance is not a slogan but a measurable reality. Thanks to Trump administration policies, gas prices are at their lowest levels in nearly five years. American drivers are projected to spend $11 billion less on gasoline in 2026, translating to an average household savings of nearly $700. (Though U.S. strikes in Iran have raised fears of coming oil price spikes, Trump has pledged to take action to keep prices low.)
Those savings are a result of domestic oil production reaching record levels in 2025, more than 13.6 million barrels per day. The U.S. now produces more oil and liquid fuels than Russia and Saudi Arabia combined. Natural gas production sits near 110 billion cubic feet per day, nearly as much as Russia, Iran, and China combined.
Beyond hydrocarbons, DOE has launched the largest deregulatory effort in its history, proposing cuts to 47 energy regulations estimated to save consumers another $11 billion. DOE has also completed dozens of regulatory rollbacks that reduce costs for business and households alike. Energy emergency orders — 41 in total — have reversed policies that threatened grid reliability, ensuring coal, nuclear, and natural gas plants stay online to prevent blackouts.
On nuclear energy, DOE awarded $800 million to advance small modular reactors (SMRs), a revolutionary technology that delivers reliable, scalable nuclear power in compact units — ideal for powering data centers, manufacturing hubs, and regions underserved by large plants. The administration has also invested billions to expand uranium enrichment, restart older nuclear facilities, and strengthen supply chains for next-generation reactors.
This “all of the above” energy strategy marks a complete reversal from the Biden administration’s focus on offshore wind, solar mandates, and net-zero emissions targets. Trump’s approach prioritizes reliability, affordability, and scalability, not ideological preferences. The result has been lower fuel costs, expanded production, stronger infrastructure, and strategic investments in future-ready technologies — a deliberate pivot from policies that shuttered coal plants, constrained fossil fuels production, and risked widespread blackouts.
America is also experiencing a rise in energy investment under President Donald Trump, another success. Specialists who have devoted their careers to energy production or heavy industry describe Trump’s efforts as transformational.
“This is a defining shift,” said retired Geology Professor Jean-Marie Lachapelle, who guided major mining firms in the U.S. and Canada from the late 1960s through the 1980s. Lachapelle likened the U.S. government to the Biblical figure Joshua leading the Israelites: “Clear vision, moral courage, and firm principles are shining in Washington today.”
When asked how these traits shaped U.S. government action, Lachapelle cited “a clear vision for each energy source, moral courage to challenge global warming dogma, and a commitment to deregulation and cost-effectiveness.” He explained that these actions have led to streamlined approval processes, reduced regulatory obstacles, and a rapid boost in private investment. “In just one year, most barriers to investment have vanished,” he said.
Economist Dr. Johann Gunnarsen, who advised mining firms across Australia, Japan, and the U.S. in the 1990s, agreed that the recent policy and regulatory transformation is “truly unprecedented,” with the Biden administration’s mistakes corrected in months. He added that few can remember a time when America’s environment for long-term investment was this promising.
“Strict regulations, powerful environmental groups, anti-industry politicians, fanatical academia, and hostile media have all been sidelined,” said Professor Joachim Buchholz, retired economist and advisor to former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl. “These barriers had forced U.S. firms and partners to scale back or move.”
This philosophical shift and energy boom couldn’t come a moment too soon. The United States currently faces the enormous challenge of more than doubling its grid capacity by 2030 to meet the rising demand of artificial intelligence data centers.
To help meet that demand, Trump recently ordered the Department of Defense to purchase coal-generated electricity, and the Pentagon and the Department of Energy agreed to contracts with selected coal power plants.
“It’s great to bring [the industry] back,” Trump said at a White House event with coal executives and mine workers before signing the directive. “You were treated very badly, and now you’re being treated very well. Good luck, make a lot of money.”
Trump plans to invest $175 million to modernize coal plants in several states, intending to extend their typical lifespans and influence regional energy policy. The Department of Energy has maintained operations at five coal plants slated for retirement, highlighting direct federal efforts to ensure energy supply.
“Keeping these plants open should remain a priority from both national security and economic perspectives,” said Michelle Bloodworth, chief executive of America’s Power, an industry group.
In December, DOE also announced up to $800 million to help the Tennessee Valley Authority and Holtec deploy light-water small modular reactors. Energy Secretary Chris Wright highlighted how these small reactors support manufacturing and the development of new technologies.
“Advanced light-water SMRs will give our nation the reliable, round-the-clock power we need to fuel the President’s manufacturing boom, support data centers and AI growth, and reinforce a more secure electric grid,” Wright said.
The Trump administration has also overseen the launch of several key domestic initiatives. The Keystone XL pipeline is particularly important. Shut down by Obama in 2015, relaunched by Trump in 2017, and shut down again by Biden in 2021 before Trump revived it again, Keystone has the potential to ship 830,000 barrels a day of heavy crude from Alberta to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries.
What many dismissed as campaign rhetoric has yielded tangible, historic results. Under President Trump, American energy production, affordability, and reliability have surged — delivering real dividends for households and the economy at large.
Ben Solis is the pen name of an international affairs journalist, historian, and researcher.
