POLITICO Energy

President Donald Trump’s latest address to the nation on the war with Iran is already sending ripples through global energy markets, as oil prices climb and uncertainty grows around the Strait of Hormuz. POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre and James Bikales break down what the administration’s strategy means for energy markets, global supply, and gas prices at home. Plus, senior Trump administration officials declared that all oil and gas activity on federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico is exempt from Endangered Species Act protections, and federal regulators said a natural gas export plant in Texas is free to export liquefied natural gas that’s produced during its commissioning phase. Ben Lefebvre is the deputy energy editor at POLITICO. James Bikales is an oil and gas reporter for POLITICO. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Veronica Tejera is the deputy head of Audio/Video at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Across the country, many Democratic governors are shifting from ambitious climate policies to prioritizing energy affordability as costs rise and political pressure builds ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. POLITICO’s Adam Aton explains what’s driving the change, the political trade-offs behind it, how it’s affecting the clean energy industry, and whether it signals a lasting shift for the party. Adam Aton covers the politics of climate change for POLITICO’s E&E News. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Stefan Todorovic is the video producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Veronica Tejera is the deputy head of Audio/Video at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, POLITICO’s James Bikales and Kelsey Tamborrino unpack the biggest takeaways from CERAWeek 2026, one of the world’s most influential energy conferences, as the industry grapples with geopolitical tensions, rising demand from artificial intelligence, and shifting U.S. policy. They also break down POLITICO’s exclusive interviews with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, plus a few under-the-radar storylines from the conference. Kelsey Tamborrino is a reporter covering clean energy for POLITICO. James Bikales is an oil and gas reporter for POLITICO. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Stefan Todorovic is the video producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Veronica Tejera is the deputy head of Audio/Video at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, POLITICO's deputy editor-in-chief Joe Schatz sits down for an extended interview with EPA administrator Lee Zeldin. They discuss the agency’s ambitious deregulatory agenda, President Donald Trump’s energy dominance agenda, the war with Iran, chemical safety and Make America Healthy Again. Joe Schatz is the deputy editor-in-chief of POLITICO. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Veronica Tejera is the deputy head of Audio/Video at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switchAnd for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, POLITICO reporter Francisco “A.J.” Camacho sits down for an extended interview with Judy Chang, a Democratic commissioner at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. They discuss the growing strain on America's power grid, rising electricity prices, FERC’s independence under the Trump administration, and the key policy issues on the agency’s docket. Francisco "A.J." Camacho is a reporter for POLITICO’s E&E News. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Veronica Tejera is the deputy head of Audio/Video at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, POLITICO’s senior politics columnist Jonathan Martin sits down for an extended interview with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the head of the White House’s National Energy Dominance Council. They discuss President Donald Trump’s energy agenda including the Iran war, Venezuela, high energy prices at home, congressional regulatory reforms, competing with China and more. Jonathan Martin is the politics bureau chief at POLITICO. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Veronica Tejera is the deputy head of Audio/Video at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, POLITICO Energy guest host Hannah Northey sits down for an extended interview with John Jovanovic, the chairman and president of the Export-Import Bank of the United States. They discuss the Trump administration’s $12 billion initiative to build a domestic stockpile of critical minerals, the complicated geopolitics of this issue, how the bank fits into the Trump administration’s broader energy strategy and more. Hannah Northey covers the nexus of mining, environmental policy and politics for POLITICO’s E&E News. Stefan Todorovic is the video producer of POLITICO Energy. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Veronica Tejera is the deputy head of Audio/Video at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering scrapping a decades-old radiation safety standard. It’s a move that would support the Trump administration’s push to expand nuclear power in the United States, but it would also raise key questions about public health risks and the industry’s standards. POLITICO’s AJ Camacho breaks down the proposal, where congressional lawmakers and the nuclear industry stand, and the potential public health concerns. Francisco "A.J." Camacho is a reporter for POLITICO’s E&E News. Stefan Todorovic is the video producer of POLITICO Energy. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

POLITICO Energy host Manuel Quiñones sits down for an extended interview with Daniel Yergin, the vice chairman of S&P Global and chairman of CERAWeek, one of the world’s largest and most influential gatherings of energy leaders and policymakers. They preview next week’s conference and discuss the major forces shaping the global energy agenda, including the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and data centers, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and shifting energy markets. Manuel Quiñones is the congress editor for POLITICO’s E&E News. Stefan Todorovic is the video producer of POLITICO Energy. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switchAnd for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, POLITICO Energy host Nirmal Mulaikal sits down for an extended interview with Jason Bordoff, the founding director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University and a former senior director for energy and climate change on the National Security Council during the Obama administration. They discuss why the war in the Middle East could — contrary to conventional wisdom — actually strengthen China’s energy dominance in the long-run, along with the conflict’s implications for Europe, the global clean energy transition, and whether there are historical precedents that might help explain what’s happening in the energy sector today. Stefan Todorovic is the video producer of POLITICO Energy. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Global oil prices have surged after the U.S. war with Iran, and they may not fall anytime soon even if the conflict ends quickly. POLITICO’s Scott Waldman explains why high oil prices could persist long after the fighting stops, presenting a political problem for President Donald Trump and the Republican party as voters focus on affordability issues in the run-up to the midterms. Plus, the Justice Department has sued California for effectively imposing an electric vehicle mandate, and the Energy Department announced it is opening up $1.9 billion in funding to help upgrade the U.S. power grid. Scott Waldman is the White House reporter for POLITICO’s E&E News focused on climate change. Stefan Todorovic is the video producer of POLITICO Energy. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Permitting reform negotiations on Capitol Hill may be gaining new momentum after weeks of stalled talks, and now the White House is stepping into the mix. POLITICO’s Kelsey Brugger breaks down why negotiations restarted now, how rising energy prices and electricity demand are raising the political stakes ahead of the midterms, and whether lawmakers can finally overcome years of failed attempts to pass a sweeping permitting deal. Plus, the Energy Information Administration sharply raised its forecasts for oil and gasoline prices for 2026, and a new report says that U.S. solar capacity is now expected to nearly triple by 2036. Kelsey Brugger covers energy and climate politics on Capitol Hill for POLITICO’s E&E News. Stefan Todorovic is the video producer of POLITICO Energy. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, POLITICO Energy host Arianna Skibell sits down for an extended interview with Charles Hua, the executive director of PowerLines, a nonprofit that advocates for modernizing the nation’s utility regulatory system. They discuss why America’s power bills are going up, how regulators could bring them down, the role of data centers on the grid, and rising electricity costs as a new, defining political issue. Arianna Skibell is an energy and climate reporter for POLITICO. Stefan Todorovic is the video producer of POLITICO Energy. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White House is scrambling to keep gasoline prices from spiking after the U.S. attack on Iran, which rattled the world’s energy markets and is causing economic uncertainty at home. And yet, every time President Donald Trump has made an economic gamble so far during his second term, the U.S. economy has remained somewhat resilient. POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre and Victoria Guida break down what the administration is doing behind the scenes, how higher oil prices could affect the broader U.S. economy, and what it all means for the 2026 midterm elections. Ben Lefebvre is the deputy energy editor at POLITICO. Victoria Guida is an economics correspondent and columnist at POLITICO. Stefan Todorovic is the video producer of POLITICO Energy. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The escalating conflict in the Middle East after the United States and Israel attacked Iran over the weekend is driving up energy prices and rattling global markets. POLITICO’s James Bikales unpacks the immediate market reaction, the Trump administration’s next steps, the potential impact on domestic and global energy prices moving forward, and how lawmakers in both parties are responding. Plus, President Donald Trump is expected to host a White House event today with tech companies to lay out an agreement that’s designed to protect consumers from rising electricity costs, and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee plans to vote today on Douglas Weaver to remain on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. James Bikales is an oil and gas reporter for POLITICO. Stefan Todorovic is the video producer of POLITICO Energy. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, POLITICO Energy host Zack Colman sits down for an extended interview with Drew Maloney, the president and CEO and the Edison Electric Institute, the trade association for investor-owned utilities that maintain America’s power grid while also generating and distributing most of the country’s electricity. They discuss President Donald Trump’s recent energy actions, the energy affordability conversation, the rapid growth of data centers, and how electricity has become one of the year’s most consequential political issues. Zack Colman covers climate change for POLITICO. Stefan Todorovic is the video producer of POLITICO Energy. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump's State of the Union address served as both a victory lap and a messaging blueprint for Republicans heading into the midterm elections. POLITICO’s Zack Colman and Scott Waldman unpack what the Trump emphasized, what he left out and whether energy is shaping up to be a defining issue for voters this November. Scott Waldman is the White House reporter for POLITICO. Zack Colman covers climate change for POLITICO. Stefan Todorovic is the video producer of POLITICO Energy. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive editor of POLITICO’s E&E News. Debra Kahn is the editorial director for energy and environmental coverage at POLITICO. Our theme music is by Pran Bandi. Follow the show on Apple, Spotify, Youtube and Instagram. Follow POLITICO here: ➤ X: https://x.com/politico/ ➤ Instagram: / politico ➤ Facebook: / politico For more reporting on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subscribing to POLITICO Pro: https://subscriber.politicopro.com/newsletter-archive/morning-energy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As data centers rapidly expand across the country to power AI and cloud computing, some Democratic underdogs are turning the energy-hungry facilities into a 2026 campaign issue, arguing that they could raise electricity bills and strain local resources. POLITICO’s Timothy Cama breaks down this trend, what voters actually think about data centers, and whether it’s an effective political strategy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices