President Donald Trump has once again stirred controversy by calling for the resurrection of the Keystone XL pipeline. Despite the project being effectively abandoned in 2021, Trump insists it should be built “now,” framing it as an energy priority for the US under his new administration.
In a post on his social media platform, Trump encouraged the company once behind the pipeline to “come back to America” with the promise of “easy approvals, almost immediate start,” while adding, “If not them, perhaps another Pipeline Company. We want the Keystone XL Pipeline built!”
Trump’s call for reviving the pipeline comes amid a tenuous trade relations with Canada as the US is poised to imposed hefty tariffs on Canadian exports including oil, reasoning that the US “don’t need the products they have.”
The original developer, TC Energy, walked away from Keystone XL after former President Joe Biden revoked a critical permit allowing the pipeline to cross the US-Canada border. Portions of the project were dismantled, and key regulatory approvals lapsed. Since then, TC Energy spun off its oil pipeline business into South Bow Energy, which has expressed no interest in reviving Keystone XL.
“We continue to engage with customers to develop options to increase Canadian oil supplies to meet growing US demand,” said South Bow spokesperson Katie Stavinoha, stressing that the company has “moved on from the Keystone XL project.”
Environmental activists celebrated the pipeline’s cancellation as a major triumph in the fight against climate change, arguing that reviving Keystone XL would be a regressive step. “Keystone XL is a symbol of the fossil fuel era we need to leave behind,” one activist group argued in the aftermath of Biden’s 2021 decision.
Trump’s renewed push arrives at a time when the North American energy market has shifted considerably. US oil production has risen to record levels, reducing the perceived urgency for additional pipelines from Canada. Many states have also increased their focus on renewable energy sources, and environmental advocacy groups remain staunchly opposed to heavy infrastructure projects reliant on fossil fuels.
Reviving the Keystone XL would almost require building from scratch as key permits would need to be reapproved and land acquisition issues could reignite legal and public relations battles. Legal challenges halted the pipeline more than once in the past, and landowners have fought fiercely against eminent domain for corporate projects.
“Landowners remember the fight,” said Jane Kleeb, who led prior opposition efforts in Nebraska. “The backlash against taking private land for corporate profits would be as strong as ever.”
Information for this briefing was found via Reuters, Bloomberg, and the sources mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
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%100 out of touch domestically and internationally.