In a historic gathering at the newly inaugurated Hamm Institute for American Energy, oil tycoon Harold Hamm, surrounded by his family, absorbed a series of impassioned speeches from a carefully selected group of speakers during the first-ever American Energy Security Summit. Among the 350 attendees, mostly middle-aged oil and gas executives, the consensus was clear: President Joe Biden’s energy policies are under fire.
Nikki Haley, whose campaign and Stand For America PAC have received substantial support from Hamm, did not mince words in her address. She proclaimed, “Joe Biden hates American energy,” emphasizing that the President demonizes energy companies and fuels an anti-American sentiment that must be halted. Haley pledged that if she became president, she would reduce federal gasoline and diesel taxes, asserting the importance of energy independence to avoid reliance on foreign sources.
Furthermore, Haley vowed to expedite permitting processes for pipelines and liquefied natural gas export terminals, aiming to share America’s energy abundance globally. She boldly stated, “We’re going to open our country’s floodgates. There’s no such thing as too much American energy.”
Hamm echoed Haley’s sentiments, expressing concern about the decline in America’s global standing due to Biden’s energy-related decisions. According to Hamm, the President’s actions have driven energy prices up while increasing national security risks by promoting oil development in countries like Iran and Venezuela instead of domestically in places like Wyoming.
The American Energy Security Summit attracted influential figures beyond the energy sector. David Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs, rejected the notion that Wall Street should cease financing oil companies, asserting that reliable and affordable energy is essential for a functioning society.
Leaders of major oil companies also had a strong message: a low-carbon transition cannot happen without their participation. Mike Wirth, CEO of Chevron, emphasized that the industry is not the enemy and argued that excluding it from the transition would hinder achieving desired environmental goals. Wirth called it “crazy” to believe that a new energy system could be built without leveraging the existing one.
In essence, the American Energy Security Summit underscored the deep divisions surrounding energy policy in the United States, with Hamm and his allies firmly opposed to what they view as detrimental actions by the Biden administration.
