President Trump’s Alaska pipeline could fuel America’s energy needs and his legacy

When President Donald J. Trump stood before a joint session of Congress earlier this year and declared Alaska LNG a top national priority, he sent a strong signal to the world that America would once again act boldly to unleash the full might of its energy potential. If his administration can follow through on that vision and continue to move at the speed that has so far defined his second term, the Alaska LNG pipeline will be one of the defining achievements of his presidency. Before the end of President Trump’s second term, Alaska LNG — a project that was once seen as an improbable long shot — will be pumping energy out of the ground, supporting American consumers in Alaska, Alaska’s crucial military bases and then our Asian allies in the Pacific.

The proposed pipeline, stretching over 800 miles from the North Slope to the southern coast of Alaska is a strategic masterstroke. It reflects exactly what President Trump’s administration is all about: prioritizing American jobs and strengthening our nation on the world stage. When operational, the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) estimates the pipeline could carry each day at 3.5 billion cubic feet per day. To put that in perspective, just this one project could produce nearly all the natural gas that Russia exports to the world. 

This is not just a theoretical pipe dream. Alaska LNG has already overcome the bureaucratic and legal red tape that is typically the most time-consuming part of the process, securing its permits and defeating every legal challenge. Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy recently held talks in Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan and has already begun to secure commitments from these potential customers. According to Governor Dunleavy, the goal is for the pipeline to be in place in two and a half years with gas flowing through it. 

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As soon as the project is operational, Alaska LNG will be serving Alaskans. For too long, Alaska has sat on an ocean of energy potential without the infrastructure to realize its full value. The Alaska LNG pipeline will change that, bringing in billions of investment, tens of thousands of jobs, and much-needed revenue to a state that has been economically sidelined by D.C. bureaucrats and green agenda zealots. For rural communities who would otherwise be forced to rely on imported fuel, the pipeline promises real energy security with affordable and reliable power for families and businesses.

But the benefits won’t stop at the Alaskan border. While lowering global energy prices, this massive project will boost American exports and make a major dent in our trade deficit. Alaska LNG pipeline will give the United States a powerful new lever in global energy markets, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. Our allies —Japan, South Korea, Taiwan —are all energy-hungry nations with a growing appetite for natural gas. Instead of relying on our being at the mercy of Russian and Middle Eastern exporters, they can look to the United States and Alaska. 

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That dynamic will give the United States a strategic advantage in competition against China. For years, Beijing has used its dominance in critical industries and energy investments to bully smaller nations and manipulate global markets. The Alaska LNG pipeline is a direct counterpunch. By supplying reliable American energy to China’s neighbors, we reduce their dependence on the CCP and strengthen the geopolitical balance in our favor. President Trump understands that Alaska’s energy will strengthen our nation’s leverage and security. At home, President Trump will not only lower energy prices but also secure his vision of energy independence. America will never be begging OPEC for oil or watching our gas prices skyrocket because of international disruptions again. 

The cynics and the doubters have long thrown cold water on the Alaska LNG project. But President Trump understands what our nation is capable of and can once again prove them wrong. If leaders in his administration, like Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, continue to prioritize this project, the Alaska LNG pipeline will be built and pumping before the end of his current term. That will not just be a win, but a major legacy achievement for the President. The Alaska LNG Project is the kind of big, bold project that only a leader like Trump could deliver. It is only appropriate that President Trump be there to preside over its groundbreaking before his term ends.