As the war in Iran sends global fuel prices soaring, the U.S. Department of Justice has released a legal opinion claiming that President Trump has the authority to override California laws and regulations that have blocked a controversial offshore oil operation by invoking the Defense Production Act. It was used by President Biden to help respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Trump invoked the act last March to ramp up domestic mineral production. But the company has spent months courting the Trump administration for increased support of its project, especially after several legal setbacks, increasingly cumbersome state laws and ongoing financial losses have left its future in limbo. “The Trump Administration’s desire to put oil and gas interests over our communities and a clean environment continues unabated,” the statement said. “They’re the first test of if the president can override state laws.

Source: Los Angeles Times March 07, 2026 18:31 UTC