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Trump plans to declare a 'national energy emergency.' What does that mean?

President Trump says he will declare a "national energy emergency" as one of his first acts as president, pledging to support the domestic production of fossil fuels.

"We will drill, baby, drill," he said during his inauguration speech. "We will be a rich nation again, and it is the liquid gold under our feet that will help us do it."

No president has ever declared a "national energy emergency," but regional "energy emergencies" were declared in the 1970s, when there were shortages of fossil fuels.

The U.S. is not currently facing a fuel shortage. The U.S. is a net exporter of fossil fuels, producing more oil and gas than any other country in the world, at any point in history, and production is growing slightly. Meanwhile many analysts currently project that the world as a whole is facing a near-term oversupply of oil and natural gas, where supply will increase faster than demand.

Trump, however, has consistently said he wants to increase drilling for oil in the U.S. He is expected to roll back regulations, promote more leasing on federal lands and vocally encourage companies to drill.

Declaring an energy emergency would be a first for the federal government, and it's unclear what exactly it would entail.

Here's what we know about the unprecedented action.

Copyright 2025 NPR

Camila Domonoske
Camila Flamiano Domonoske covers cars, energy and the future of mobility for NPR's Business Desk.