As Europe turns its back on Russian gas, the US is stepping up to meet the challenge, with Trump’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) export policies set to unlock a new era of energy dominance.
Having declared an ‘energy emergency,’ the newly minted US President banned offshore wind and withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement – a move he previously took during his first term in office.
This shift in priorities signals a stark reversal for clean energy, which now finds itself the sacrificial lamb in Trump’s aggressive push to favour LNG.
Just three days into the job, the US President lifted permits on two LNG plants in Louisiana, which “were in review for years.”
“It was a total investment of $25-30bn – and I got them done in less than a week. It was the right thing to do for the US and the world. So what I’d like to see is rapid approvals,” he said.
These rapid approvals will accelerate US LNG plant output, which is expected to grow considerably this year, according to a newly released ICIS LNG Edge supply forecast.
With Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG and Corpus Christi Stage 3 both ramping up, total US production is forecast to top 107m tonnes, up about 20% from 2024, the report reveals.
Cheniere expects “substantial completion” of Train 1 at its 10 million tonnes per annum Corpus Christi Stage 3 in the first quarter of 2025, while Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG has already started loading commissioning cargoes.
ExxonMobil is also eyeing the first LNG from its Golden Pass export plant by late 2025, though delays tied to contractor bankruptcy could push this into early 2026. Maintenance at Sabine Pass on Trains 3 and 4 this summer may cause temporary production hiccups, but overall, US output is forecast to soar.
With Trump’s renewed focus on LNG, these developments come at a pivotal moment for Europe. As the bloc looks to permanently sever ties with Russian gas, US LNG, alongside Norwegian supplies, is cementing its role as a cornerstone of Europe’s energy security.
Europe faces the challenge of dwindling gas storage levels, forecast to drop to 43% by 1st April – lower than in previous years and highly weather-dependent. This could spark a scramble to replenish reserves before the next winter, further driving demand for LNG. In fact, European LNG demand is expected to rise by 13% in 2025 compared to last year, reaching 110m tonnes.
Clean energy on pause
Critics in the US argue that this LNG boom comes at a steep cost – clean energy ambitions sacrificed to fuel Trump’s fossil-fuel-driven agenda. As recently as April last year, the Department of the Interior had permitted more than 25 gigawatts of clean energy projects, enough to power over 12 million homes across the country.
However, this progress could be undone after Trump halted $300bn in clean energy loans under an action termed ‘Terminating the Green New Deal.’ In a move reversing the Biden administration’s support for clean energy, Trump temporarily suspended new or renewed leases for offshore and onshore wind projects.
Having previously described wind turbines as an economic and environmental ‘disaster,’ Trump told supporters in Washington on Monday, “We are not going to do the wind thing. Big ugly windmills, they ruin your neighborhood.”
President Trump also signed an executive order to “immediately pause the disbursement of funds” from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This halts further funding for the seven regional clean hydrogen hubs, which were awarded billions under Biden’s 2021 infrastructure plan and have so far only received initial grants in the tens of millions.
One form of renewable energy has gained traction with the new administration: geothermal. Praised for its 24/7 reliability and connections to traditional energy sectors, geothermal energy offers a steady and sustainable power source. With bipartisan support and projections of up to 90 gigawatts of capacity by 2050, geothermal could play a growing role in the evolving US energy landscape.
Trump’s aggressive push for LNG may indeed unlock a new era of US energy dominance, but it comes at a steep cost. By sidelining clean energy initiatives and reversing progress on climate goals, the administration risks leaving the US isolated in a world increasingly committed to sustainability.
Europe’s rising demand for LNG might secure short-term gains for the US, but questions will linger about how sustainable a fossil fuel-centric strategy can be for America’s future – and the planet’s.
For now, the world is watching as Trump’s policies take shape, setting the stage for a high-stakes energy debate in the years ahead.
