CanaryMedia: “Trump’s offshore wind opposition was never really about the whales.” In recent years, “the well-being of whales has become a potent political weapon for President Donald Trump, Republican politicians, and right-wing groups to wield against America’s fledgling offshore wind industry.” They are not put off by the total lack of evidence. “The real leading threats are marine-gear entanglements, boat collisions, and the effects of climate change.” Michael Jasny, director of marine mammals for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said, “I think it’s pretty clear they don’t care about marine species.” 

Several wks ago, “a committee of Trump-appointed officials voted to exempt oil and gas drilling in the Gulf from protections under the Endangered Species Act.” The God Squad, so named because of its power to decide whether a species lives or dies, “has convened only three other times since the landmark law was enacted over 50 years ago to prevent plant and animal extinctions.” As horrendous as this sounds, this decision may not change much on the water, as operators are still expected to comply with existing measures to avoid and minimize environmental risks. “These measures were set by the Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which is in charge of planning offshore drilling operations, and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, which provides regulatory oversight.” 

In an exemplary illustration of regulatory capture, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum put on yet another hat, + “chaired the 7-member committee, which also included the Secretaries of Defense, Agriculture, and the Army, as well as the heads of the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA], and the Council of Economic Advisors.” Even Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth weighed in, stating,, ‘Oil production in the Gulf’ provides a vital buffer, insulating our economy and military from foreign instability and reducing the strategic leverage of our adversaries.”

“Just a day after the meeting, Burgum announced that the U.S. produced over 714 million barrels in 2025—the highest annual output on record.” What can I say? Have they neither decency nor any sense of irony?