Trump cites defense production act to sign energy-related memorandums

President Donald Trump invoked the  Trump cites defense production act to sign energy-related memorandums to sign a series of energy-related presidential memorandums, the White House announced, as his administration aims to tackle rising fuel prices as a result of U.S. and Israel's war on Iran.

Leveraging the Cold War-era Defense Production Act, President Trump signed a series of executive memorandums aimed at shoring up national security by aggressively boosting domestic energy output and infrastructure. The orders specifically target coal supply chains, petroleum production, and the expansion of natural gas transmission and liquefied natural gas (LNG) capacity.

Beyond extraction, the mandates authorize the Department of Energy to utilize funding from the "One Big Beautiful Bill" to modernize the power grid and other critical energy-related infrastructure. White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers noted that these actions are designed to "unleash reliable, affordable, [and] secure energy" as a direct response to rising fuel costs, which have triggered a domestic inflationary spike across essential sectors, including housing, groceries, fertilizer and travel.

The DPA allows the president to direct private companies to prioritize government contracts and gives the government the authority to provide financial incentives—such as loans, purchase commitments, and grants—to ensure the domestic industry can produce "critical" materials.

While the DPA was used by the previous administration to boost clean energy (like heat pumps and solar panels), the Trump administration has pivoted the law's focus toward shoring up the fossil fuel industrial base and the traditional power grid.