WASHINGTON D.C. (Politico) — Tuesday, January 13, 2026
President Trump met with top oil and gas executives at the White House this week to discuss strategies for ramping up domestic energy production, signaling a renewed focus on his “energy dominance” agenda.
The meeting comes as the administration faces mounting pressure to address persistent inflation, which held steady at 2.7% in December. During a press gaggle before departing on Air Force One, the President touted the meeting as a “major step” toward lowering gas prices for American families.
“We are going to open it up like never before,” Trump told reporters. “We are bringing costs down, and we are going to be the energy capital of the world again.”
Democrats have criticized the move, arguing that increased drilling will not solve immediate inflationary woes and ignores climate commitments. However, the administration maintains that increasing supply is the only path to economic stability. The White House is expected to announce a series of new lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico later this week as part of the initiative.
