Trump Says He'll Reverse Biden's 'Ridiculous' New Drilling Ban 'Immediately'

President-elect Donald Trump pledged to overturn President Joe Biden’s recent executive order banning oil and gas drilling in specific American coastal waters, promising swift action upon returning to office.

Speaking with conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt on Monday, Trump criticized Biden’s decision to prohibit drilling across 625 million acres of coastal waters, calling the move “ridiculous.”

“It’s ridiculous. I will unban it. I have the right to unban it immediately,” Trump stated during the interview.

“What’s he doing? Why is he doing it?” Trump questioned, adding, “He doesn’t know what [625 million acres] is. He doesn’t even know what 625 million acres would look like.”

Biden’s executive order outlined plans to restrict oil and natural gas drilling in several key areas, including the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Northern Bering Sea near Alaska, and along both the East and West coasts.

Biden justified the decision by emphasizing the risks associated with offshore drilling, stating that opening new areas for such activities is “ultimately not worth the risks.”

“As the climate crisis continues to threaten communities across the country and we are transitioning to a clean energy economy, now is the time to protect these coasts for our children and grandchildren,” Biden said in a White House statement.

He further argued that the decision aligns with what “coastal communities, businesses, and beachgoers have known for a long time: that drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs.”

Trump, however, emphasized the importance of American energy reserves in driving economic growth and maintaining global competitiveness during his upcoming term.

“You know, we have something that nobody else has,” Trump told Hewitt, referring to the nation’s vast oil and gas reserves.

“I mean, nobody has to the extent we have it, and it’ll be more by the time we’re finished because I’ll be able to expand,” he added.

He also voiced strong opposition to Biden’s policy, calling it detrimental to the nation’s economic future. “We can’t let [the ban] happen to our country,” Trump said. “It’s really our greatest economic asset.”

“And we’re not going to let that happen to our country,” he reaffirmed.

Biden’s drilling ban comes after years of heightened energy prices and has drawn criticism for prioritizing renewable energy initiatives at the expense of traditional energy production.

Trump has consistently advocated for leveraging America’s energy resources, arguing they are vital for economic stability and international competitiveness.