Former President Donald Trump’s oil and gas policies have been heavily shaped by the interests of fossil-fuel donors, whose financial contributions were pivotal to his political campaigns. While Trump has advocated for increased drilling and fewer environmental regulations to ensure energy independence, a closer look reveals a more complex dynamic. Many of his key oil and gas supporters, while benefiting from deregulation, have expressed reluctance towards expansive drilling efforts on public lands, preferring to maximize profits from existing oil and gas reserves rather than taking on the risks associated with new exploration.

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