{"id":235,"date":"2026-05-31T15:10:51","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T15:10:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235"},"modified":"2026-05-31T15:10:51","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T15:10:51","slug":"trump-admin-uses-iran-war-oil-shock-to-push-drilling-in-alaskan-wilderness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235","title":{"rendered":"Trump Admin Uses Iran War Oil Shock to Push Drilling in Alaskan Wilderness"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n<\/p>\n
\n
\n

Honest, paywall-free news is rare. Please support our boldly independent journalism with <\/span><\/i>a donation<\/span><\/i> of any size.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Read more Congress Is Poised to Integrate US and Israeli Militaries More Closely Than Ever<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The Trump administration and fellow Republicans are citing the Iran war as a pretext for oil drilling in Alaska, in an attempt to rapidly implement longstanding policy goals in the state.<\/p>\n

In April, President Donald Trump declared that the Strait of Hormuz blockade could be a boon for U.S. oil production, including in Alaska. This narrative was celebrated by Alaska Republicans, like Governor Mike Dunleavy, who praised Trump for working to unleash \u201cAlaska\u2019s extraordinary resource potential.\u201d<\/p>\n

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), one of the only Republican lawmakers who occasionally criticizes the president, also voiced support for this vision.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe situation in Iran is not good,\u201d Murkowski recently stated. \u201cThe situation, as it\u2019s going to impact Alaskans in their homes, is not good, but could the state benefit because there is this increased focus on resource shortages and volatility?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have seen what it means to be vulnerable from a resource perspective, and you have seen this president turn that around in a strong way,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

On May 6, the Trump administration announced that it was transferring 1.4 million acres of national public lands in Alaska\u2019s Dalton Utility Corridor to the state\u2019s government, which has sought to expand industrial development in the region. The Interior Department noted in a statement that the corridor contains portions of the proposed route for a 211-mile road to the Ambler mining district and fully developing the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas project.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor far too long, we have been at a relative standstill on statehood entitlements because these critically important lands were off the table,\u201d gushed Kevin Pendergast, state director for the Bureau of Land Management, in celebration of the news.<\/p>\n

Ten environmental groups are suing over the move, which they say will harm local tribes and endanger wildlife. \u201cThe Interior Secretary broke the law when removing federal protections for over 2 million acres of public lands in February without hearings in local communities, without a public comment period, and without addressing that decision\u2019s impacts on land, water, and subsistence users,\u201d said Bridget Psarianos, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, in a statement.<\/p>\n

On May 15, the U.S. Interior Department announced it would streamline the permitting process for oil development in the Alaska National Petroleum Reserve. Under the new rules, some drilling operations, like the controversial Willow Project, could be rubber-stamped for approval in just 30 days.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe faster we can cut through the speed of those regulations, the faster we can bring down prices for America,\u201d declared Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.<\/p>\n

On June 5, the Interior Department\u2019s Bureau of Land Management will host the first of four legally mandated lease sales in the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). The 1.5 million-acre stretch is known for its hills, lakes, and tundra vegetation. \u201cCaribou travel to the coastal plain during June and July to give birth and raise their young. Migratory birds and insects flourish here during the brief arctic summer,\u201d notes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\u2019s website. \u201cTens of thousands of snow geese stop over on the coastal plain during September to feed prior to migrating south, and muskoxen live here year-round.\u201d<\/p>\n

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that the plain holds between 4.25 billion and 11.8 billion barrels of recoverable oil, and Trump is poised to disrupt the aforementioned habitat via heavy drilling in areas that have historically been protected. The plan has been condemned by Indigenous peoples of the Arctic Refuge, including the Gwich\u2019in Nation, who say that any drilling \u201cwould negatively impact our subsistence and violate our rights as Indigenous people.\u201d<\/p>\n

These developments come on the heels of an Interior Department draft plan that seeks to dramatically expand offshore drilling over the next five years. The extraction strategy includes 21 areas off the coast of Alaska. An analysis by the Center for Biological Diversity, which is based on historical data and anticipated oil production, estimated that the five-year plan could result in more than 4,000 additional oil spills, releasing over 12 million gallons of oil into the ocean.<\/p>\n

Environmental groups are also rejecting the idea that domestic drilling will aid the flailing U.S. economy.<\/p>\n

Read more Appeals Court Revives Texas Immigration Law Allowing Arrests on Suspicion<\/a><\/p>\n

Bobby McEnaney, director of land conservation at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), told Truthout<\/em> that, if the United States could actually drill its way to economic success, it would have done it already.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe United States produced a record amount of oil last year \u2014 for the fourth year in a row \u2014 more than any other country in history. That hasn\u2019t kept our families and businesses from getting gouged at the pump, on the farm, and at the grocery store from yet another oil shock beyond our control,\u201d said McEnaney.<\/p>\n

\u201cExposing irreplaceable Arctic habitat and lands to the hazard and harm of drilling won\u2019t fix that,\u201d he continued. \u201cWe must break our addiction to oil. Our dependence on oil is the vulnerability, not the solution.\u201d<\/p>\n

These sentiments were echoed by Athan Manuel, director of Sierra Club\u2019s Lands Protection Program.<\/p>\n

\u201cUsing a war in the Middle East as a political excuse to expand drilling in one of America\u2019s most fragile and ecologically important landscapes is as cynical as it is dangerous,\u201d said Manuel. \u201cThe reality is that opening more of Alaska to oil drilling won\u2019t lower gas prices, won\u2019t meaningfully address energy security concerns, and will only deepen our dependence on the volatile fossil fuel markets that are squeezing American families.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat it will<\/em> do is put Alaska\u2019s public lands, wildlife habitat, and Indigenous communities at greater risk for the benefit of oil company profits,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n

Oil Companies Eye Alaska Amid Deregulation<\/h2>\n

Republicans have been pushing for expanded drilling for decades, and their plans for Alaska predate the current international crisis. In October 2025, the GOP-controlled Senate voted to repeal a land management program that was enacted at the end Joe Biden\u2019s term to limit development in interior Alaska. A month later, Trump finalized the rollback of preexisting drilling limits. Trump\u2019s infamous \u201cOne Big Beautiful Bill Act\u201d also opened up vast amounts of land to oil and gas leasing.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s reason to believe that oil companies are taking the Republican rhetoric about domestic production seriously.<\/p>\n

Lease sales in the Arctic Refuge have not always drawn a lot of interest from such companies. \u201cDrilling in a remote and sensitive region with little to no supporting infrastructure makes both the oil and gas industry and its wall street investors hesitant to participate,\u201d notes the group Taxpayers for Common Sense. However, in March, ExxonMobil, Repsol, and Shell were among the oil companies that bid some $163 million to secure leases in the reserve. \u201cThe energy crisis sparked by the Iran war has \u2026 underlined the importance of supply diversity beyond the Middle East, further boosting the state\u2019s appeal,\u201d explained the Financial Times.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the hottest play in the world right now,\u201d independent oil prospector Bill Armstrong told the paper.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlaska is a fantastic opportunity,\u201d said Repsol\u2019s head of exploration and production, Francisco Gea, adding \u201cthe reversal in the decline of oil production in the great state of Alaska is going to help put more oil in the Pacific area at an important moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The consultancy group Wood Mackenzie predicts that oil production in the state will go up to roughly 750,000 barrels per day by 2030, a 275,000 barrel a day increase from 2024.<\/p>\n

Cooper Freeman, Alaska director at the Center for Biological Diversity, says drilling could do irreparable damage to an area that is already threatened by climate change.<\/p>\n

\u201cFast-tracking oil and gas exploration in Alaska is a shortsighted bid for corporate profit that ignores the devastating reality on the ground,\u201d he told Truthout.<\/em> \u201cThe Arctic is already one of the most rapidly warming ecosystems on Earth, yet it remains a vital refuge for polar bears, caribou, and millions of migratory birds. We can\u2019t afford to lock in decades of new carbon emissions while destroying irreplaceable wildlife habitat and delaying the necessary renewable energy transition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more ICE Agent Arrested in Texas, Charged With Lying About Minneapolis Shooting<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The five-year plan is expected to cause 4,000 additional oil spills and the destruction of fragile ecosystems.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":234,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting"],"yoast_head":"\nTrump Admin Uses Iran War Oil Shock to Push Drilling in Alaskan Wilderness - Smart Moving Home<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Trump Admin Uses Iran War Oil Shock to Push Drilling in Alaskan Wilderness - Smart Moving Home\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The five-year plan is expected to cause 4,000 additional oil spills and the destruction of fragile ecosystems.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Smart Moving Home\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-31T15:10:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/?p=235#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/?p=235\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/ec0d70042821fd684a174c8d0e8becfa\"},\"headline\":\"Trump Admin Uses Iran War Oil Shock to Push Drilling in Alaskan Wilderness\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-31T15:10:51+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/?p=235\"},\"wordCount\":1396,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/?p=235#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/b7935b499666d87c52b3ea028c576754.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Interesting\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/?p=235#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/?p=235\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/?p=235\",\"name\":\"Trump Admin Uses Iran War Oil Shock to Push Drilling in Alaskan Wilderness - Smart Moving Home\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/?p=235#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/?p=235#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/b7935b499666d87c52b3ea028c576754.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-31T15:10:51+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/ec0d70042821fd684a174c8d0e8becfa\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/?p=235#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/?p=235\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/?p=235#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/b7935b499666d87c52b3ea028c576754.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/b7935b499666d87c52b3ea028c576754.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1706},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/?p=235#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Trump Admin Uses Iran War Oil Shock to Push Drilling in Alaskan Wilderness\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Smart Moving Home\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/ec0d70042821fd684a174c8d0e8becfa\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/smartmovinghome.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Trump Admin Uses Iran War Oil Shock to Push Drilling in Alaskan Wilderness - Smart Moving Home","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Trump Admin Uses Iran War Oil Shock to Push Drilling in Alaskan Wilderness - Smart Moving Home","og_description":"The five-year plan is expected to cause 4,000 additional oil spills and the destruction of fragile ecosystems.","og_url":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235","og_site_name":"Smart Moving Home","article_published_time":"2026-05-31T15:10:51+00:00","author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/#\/schema\/person\/ec0d70042821fd684a174c8d0e8becfa"},"headline":"Trump Admin Uses Iran War Oil Shock to Push Drilling in Alaskan Wilderness","datePublished":"2026-05-31T15:10:51+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235"},"wordCount":1396,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/b7935b499666d87c52b3ea028c576754.jpg","articleSection":["Interesting"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235","url":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235","name":"Trump Admin Uses Iran War Oil Shock to Push Drilling in Alaskan Wilderness - Smart Moving Home","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/b7935b499666d87c52b3ea028c576754.jpg","datePublished":"2026-05-31T15:10:51+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/#\/schema\/person\/ec0d70042821fd684a174c8d0e8becfa"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/b7935b499666d87c52b3ea028c576754.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/b7935b499666d87c52b3ea028c576754.jpg","width":2560,"height":1706},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?p=235#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Trump Admin Uses Iran War Oil Shock to Push Drilling in Alaskan Wilderness"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/","name":"Smart Moving Home","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/#\/schema\/person\/ec0d70042821fd684a174c8d0e8becfa","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/50b1ad2e498f523425ee0a8cc5180a210646db1622662a3d56cc405d3e0c346a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/smartmovinghome.com"],"url":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/235","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=235"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/235\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=235"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=235"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smartmovinghome.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=235"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}