There were many surprises in the 2024 election. But one thing stood out with remarkable clarity: You can’t be elected president without supporting American energy leadership.
The message from voters could not be more straightforward: Americans want an all-of-the-above energy approach, not government mandates and restrictions.
The electoral impact of the national energy policy debate crystallized in battleground states like Michigan, where voters made clear that they don’t want to be told what kind of car to drive. In Pennsylvania, strong support for hydraulic fracturing—better known as fracking— highlighted Americans’ broader call for affordable, reliable energy.
The numbers tell the story. Polling shows nearly two-thirds of Americans support increasing domestic oil and natural gas production. Seven in ten oppose government mandates restricting vehicle choice. Exit polls further confirmed that economic stability and inflation – both linked to energy policy – dominated voters’ concerns.
These results require a fundamental shift in Washington’s approach to energy policy, and our industry has outlined a commonsense roadmap. The path forward requires protecting consumer choice by rolling back restrictive EPA policies to ban most new gas-powered cars and rejecting California’s special waiver for its all-electric vehicle mandate. These heavy-handed approaches have only limited Americans’ freedom to make their own transportation decisions.
The stakes extend far beyond our borders. For example, President-elect Trump has a clear mandate to ensure America’s global leadership role by lifting the Biden administration’s shortsighted pause on liquefied natural gas export permits immediately. This single action would reassure our allies of America’s reliability as an energy partner while strengthening our geopolitical influence and supporting jobs here at home.
America also needs a new, more robust five-year federal offshore leasing program. The current program under President Joe Biden is the weakest in history and inadequate to meet our nation’s future energy needs. It’s time to restore regular offshore lease sales and ensure long-term investment opportunities.
Similarly, recent onshore energy policy has done more to stifle new development than support it. New leasing on federal lands is down 91 percent compared to the 20-year average. We must return to consistent, quarterly onshore leasing, as required by law. Overly restrictive policies thwarting new energy investment should be repealed, as should the EPA’s natural gas tax from the Inflation Reduction Act.
Infrastructure development faces similar challenges. The current federal permitting system has become a maze of delays and uncertainty, making it nearly impossible to build essential projects – from roads and bridges to pipelines. Reform of the National Environmental Protection Act is needed, as is ensuring the Clean Water Act cannot be weaponized to block critical infrastructure projects.
The economic implications of this debate and needed policy reforms are staggering. The oil and natural gas industry supports more than 11 million American jobs and has invested $1.6 trillion in domestic energy infrastructure since 2015. To maintain this advantage and ensure America remains globally competitive, we must preserve the current 21 percent corporate tax rate while extending other provisions that encourage domestic infrastructure investment.
These policies aren’t just about numbers on a spreadsheet—implemented correctly, they will power American lives. Trump’s winning coalition, supported largely by middle- and working-class voters, knows this reality. Their votes signal the need for energy policy that balances economic growth, security and environmental progress.
America’s energy future demands policies that embrace our abundant resources while ensuring global competitiveness. By protecting consumer choice, streamlining regulations, reforming permitting processes, and maintaining competitive tax policies, we can secure America’s energy leadership and deliver the affordable, reliable energy that voters demanded on Election Day.
The election results represent more than a political shift—they’re a mandate for action. It’s time for Washington to listen to the American people and implement energy policies that work for all Americans. Our energy security, economic prosperity and global leadership depend on it.
Mike Sommers is president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute.
The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.
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