America stands at a pivotal crossroads in energy policy and national security. With oil prices hitting their lowest level in four years and global tensions escalating in the Taiwan Strait, we are staring down a golden opportunity that must not be wasted: refilling our Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).
Let’s be clear about how we got here. Former President Joe Biden drained our emergency oil reserve at a historic pace, cutting the supply in half. The SPR—meant to be our energy insurance policy in times of true crisis—was treated like a political slush fund to bring gas prices down from their historic highs before the 2022 midterms. Biden promised to refill it, but his allegiance to his green activists (or his other well-documented challenges) wouldn’t allow him to follow through. Now, America’s most critical energy safety net is compromised. That’s not just irresponsible. It’s dangerous.
In contrast, President Donald Trump delivered what he promised: strength through energy. His leadership on trade and tariffs continues to reshape America's negotiating power globally, but it has also led to a steep drop in oil prices that presents a once-in-a-decade opportunity to buy American oil at a discount and refill the reserve.
Oil prices dipped below $59 a barrel in early April – the lowest point since 2021. That’s well below the $70-a-barrel target Biden cited as the appropriate time to begin refilling the SPR. He never did. But now, thanks to President Trump’s energy dominance agenda, that threshold has not only been met—it’s been shattered.
Energy security isn’t a partisan issue. Or at least it shouldn’t be. Yet the Biden administration sacrificed it on the altar of climate ideology. The so-called green agenda blocked domestic energy production, hampered pipeline development, and vilified the very oil and gas workers who keep this nation running. Even out of office, they continue flexing their green agenda muscle. Last week, Biden’s former Energy Secretary, Jennifer Granholm, landed a plush lobbying job where media reports suggest she will be fighting on behalf of the so-called Inflation Reduction Act.
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When it came time to refill the SPR, those same political allies stopped any purchase that might offend the climate lobby.
Meanwhile, China continues to rattle sabers near Taiwan by staging troubling military drills. In such a volatile world, there is no excuse to limp forward with a half-empty reserve. There will be no time to shop for oil in a true energy crisis, whether triggered by war, natural disaster, or economic upheaval. The reserve must be full before the emergency because there will only be bad options during a crisis.
President Trump understands that. He knows that national security is impossible without energy security. By implementing tariffs that defend American manufacturers and encourage domestic production, he has created market conditions where oil is more affordable for the American taxpayer. It’s a brilliant intersection of economic and national defense policy.
Let’s also not forget the broader benefits of this moment. Refilling the SPR strengthens our emergency readiness and boosts American energy producers, especially in oil-rich states like Texas, New Mexico, and North Dakota. Buying domestic oil to replenish the reserve is a win for the taxpayer, a win for the economy, and a win for our energy independence. There are no tariffs on oil that is 100 percent “Made in the USA.”
We can’t afford to repeat the Biden blunder of letting a low-price window slip by. Biden missed his chance to refill the reserve at $70. Now, with prices hovering around $60, we have an even better opportunity—and this time, it must be seized.
There will always be excuses from those who’d rather virtue signal with solar panels than shore up America’s oil reserves. But speeches won’t power planes and ships. Press releases won’t fuel jets. And wind turbines won’t fill up a truck in an emergency.
The answer is a full Strategic Petroleum Reserve, filled with American oil, purchased at a smart, discounted price thanks to President Trump’s economic strategy.
The time to act is now. Every day wasted is another day we leave America more vulnerable, more exposed, and more dependent on foreign nations that don’t share our values. We have the tools, the price point, and the mandate. Let’s finish the job and secure our future.
Refill the SPR. Do it now.
Larry Behrens is an energy expert and the Communications Director for Power The Future. He has appeared on Fox News, ZeroHedge, and NewsMax speaking in defense of American energy workers.You can follow him on X/Twitter @larrybehrens.
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