Dozens of conservative energy insiders gathered in mid-October 2025 at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C., for the America First Policy Institute’s (AFPI) Global Energy Summit. The event, held in a ballroom that buzzed with anticipation, was more than just a meeting—it was a rallying cry for a new era in U.S. energy policy and a pointed critique of what attendees described as the dangers of environmental overreach. The summit’s opening remarks, delivered by AFPI’s vice chair of energy and environment, Oliver McPherson-Smith, set the tone: "Around the world, governments are abusing an increasingly thin patina of environmentalism to push policies that further and further encroach on the freedoms of everyday citizens." According to Inside Climate News, this sort of rhetoric is nothing new for AFPI, a think tank founded in 2021 in the wake of Donald Trump’s loss to Joe Biden.
AFPI has long criticized what it sees as "apocalyptic rhetoric" from the Biden administration, arguing that climate concerns have been used as a justification for sweeping government expansion. But for those gathered at the summit, Trump’s return to office was heralded as a kind of salvation—a chance to recommit to what they call the “American model” of energy and environmental policy. McPherson-Smith’s message was clear: "Under the ‘America First’ leadership of President Trump, our nation is once again returning to, recommitting and advancing the American model of energy and environment."
AFPI’s campaign director, Ted Ellis, described the summit as a forum for "leading experts in energy policy to discuss the most pressing issues on today’s energy landscape: affordability, reliability, and energy independence." The event featured a star lineup, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. Both officials highlighted the administration’s recent efforts to fight what they view as anti-energy and anti-prosperity policies, including a high-profile intervention on the world stage.
One of the most consequential moves came in October, when the U.S. played a pivotal role in blocking a global carbon tax framework at the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The proposed rules would have capped greenhouse gas emissions from shipping vessels, requiring those that exceeded limits to purchase carbon credits or pay extra fees. As reported by Inside Climate News, a draft of the framework was initially approved in April 2025 by 63 countries, with only 16 voting against and 24 abstentions. But after months of pressure from the Trump administration—including threats of tariffs, visa restrictions, sanctions, and additional port fees—support for the framework shifted dramatically. In October, with the backing of the U.S. and other nations, Saudi Arabia introduced a proposal to postpone the framework until October 2026. This time, 57 countries voted for postponement and 49 against, with 21 abstentions. "I will tell you that the ‘it’s going to happen’ crowd were very disappointed," Wright said at the AFPI summit. "That’s because of your support, your belief, your commitment to this stuff … and helping to elect President Trump and the cabinet he picked."
AFPI’s influence on the Trump administration’s energy agenda is unmistakable. The think tank’s 2022 policy book, “The America First Agenda,” calls for the modernization of cornerstone environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act, to spur economic growth. AFPI has also pushed for ending what it calls "outsized subsidies" for renewable energies and has labeled the Inflation Reduction Act a threat to national security. In May 2025, the organization claimed that the Trump administration had enacted or advanced over 86 percent of its agenda in the first 100 days of Trump’s second term.
Trump’s "One Big Beautiful Bill Act"—which mandates lease sales for oil and gas drilling while slashing incentives for wind and solar development—was described by critics as a major win for the fossil fuel industry. The administration is also seeking to reverse the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) finding that greenhouse gases endanger human health, a key legal basis for regulating emissions. According to Inside Climate News, companies can now simply email the EPA to request exemptions from Clean Air Act regulations that limit toxic emissions from facilities like coal-fired power plants.
AFPI’s reach extends deep into Trump’s inner circle. Brooke Rollins, now agriculture secretary, is the co-founder and former president and CEO of AFPI, despite having little professional background in agricultural policy. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, and McPherson-Smith himself (who previously served as executive director of Trump’s National Energy Dominance Council) all have ties to AFPI. The New York Times has reported that AFPI’s connections to the fossil fuel industry date back to its founding, with Texas oil tycoon Tim Dunn playing a key role in its creation.
Meanwhile, in New York, the battle over energy policy has taken a dramatic turn. As reported by The Hill, the federal government in April 2025 ordered a work-stop on the $5 billion Empire Wind offshore wind farm project off Long Island, only to reverse the decision a month later. This move fueled speculation about a political deal between Governor Kathy Hochul and the White House, possibly trading support for new natural gas pipelines in exchange for restarting Empire Wind.
Two long-dormant pipeline projects—the 23.5-mile Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Pipeline and the 125-mile Constitution Pipeline—were revived in 2025, with both re-filing for state permits. Yet New York state law effectively bans new fossil fuel infrastructure, and Hochul has been careful to state that “New York will work with the [Trump] administration and private entities on new energy projects that meet the legal requirements under New York law.”
New York is widely considered one of the most anti-fossil fuel states in the country. The state banned oil and gas drilling in 2014, closed all coal-fired power plants, and rejected every natural gas pipeline proposed—until now. The 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act set aggressive targets: 100 percent electric vehicle sales by 2035, an emissions-free electricity grid by 2040, and a net-zero economy by 2050. Hochul doubled down in 2023 with the All-Electric Building Act, banning natural gas hookups for new buildings starting in 2026. In late 2024, she expanded the fracking ban and signed the Climate Change Superfund Act, imposing a $3 billion annual tax on oil and gas companies beginning in 2026.
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) had previously denied water permits for the NESE and Constitution pipelines multiple times. But in November 2025, the DEC surprised many by approving the NESE pipeline, despite highlighting its inconsistency with statewide greenhouse gas emission limits. At the same time, the DEC remanded the Constitution Pipeline’s application back to its sponsor and federal regulators, ending hopes for a quick approval.
Critics argue that New York’s anti-fossil fuel policies not only affect the state but have ripple effects across the region and the nation. By blocking pipelines, New York restricts natural gas flow to New England, impacting regional energy prices and reliability. Its aggressive climate policies, they say, interfere with interstate commerce and the national economy. As Paul Tice, a senior fellow at the National Center for Energy Analytics, wrote in The Hill, "It’s time for the Trump administration to start suing to finally establish federal supremacy for American energy policy."
As the clash between federal and state energy agendas intensifies, the outcome could reshape the nation’s approach to climate, commerce, and the balance of power for years to come.
