Trump’s power czar scorches California over oil disaster

President Donald Trump’s power czar tore into California because the state noticed an oil tanker from the Center East dock at its shores amid an oil disaster hitting the state the toughest, as fuel costs proceed to surge.

“That is an untenable risk to our nationwide safety, particularly in a time of navy battle,” a spokesperson for the Workplace of the Division of Vitality informed the California Put up Tuesday.

“Regardless of being house to greater than 30 navy installations, California has adopted insurance policies which have left our forces — and $4.1 trillion of our nation’s GDP — depending on imported oil,” the spokesperson added.

The ultimate oil tanker from the Center East docked in Lengthy Seashore on Monday, marking what might be the final cargo from the Strait of Hormuz to succeed in California for now.

As soon as it departs, the area’s gas provide chain may face rising stress, with no sure timeline for when the following one may arrive.

“As a substitute of correcting these self-inflicted vulnerabilities, California leaders try to dam the Secretary’s efforts to restart essential infrastructure and strengthen home power manufacturing,” the workplace of Chris Wright wrote to The Put up.

California has been at odds with the federal authorities for a variety of causes, and one of many extra contentious points has been oil.

The Trump administration signed an government order to grant Sable Offshore permission to renew operations on a pipeline in Santa Barbara that was shut down after an enormous oil spill.

California, in response, sued, and a decide ordered an injunction in opposition to persevering with operations, together with an $18 million nice for the corporate. Sable Offshore is actively difficult state-level authorized restrictions by leveraging federal intervention.

“California leaders ought to cease prioritizing political agendas over America’s power safety,” a spokesperson with Wright’s workplace informed The Put up.

California has additionally moved away from in-state oil manufacturing. The state’s oil output has fallen by about 75% since its peak within the Nineteen Eighties.

The state imports greater than 60% of its crude oil from overseas nations and Alaska to fulfill power demand, usually described as an “oil island” as a result of lack of pipelines from different US areas.

The Phillips 66 Carson/Wilmington facility and the Valero Benicia refinery have been closed, decreasing California’s refining capability by roughly 17–18% and elevating considerations about potential gas worth will increase and provide shortages.

The Phillips 66 plant shut down in late 2025, whereas the Valero facility adopted in April 2026, marking a significant and speedy shift within the state’s power infrastructure.

The Santa Ynez pipeline restart “marks a 15% enhance in California’s in-state oil manufacturing, which is able to exchange nearly 1.5 million barrels of overseas crude oil every month,” based on the Division of Vitality.

California has the best fuel tax within the US, at 61.2 cents per gallon for the state excise tax. As of Tuesday, fuel costs stand at over $6 per gallon on common — about $2 greater than the nationwide common, based on AAA.

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