Trump asks oil execs for $1B to undo enviro rules

Former President Donald Trump has made bold promises to overturn dozens of environmental regulations and laws implemented by the Biden administration during a meeting with top executives of American oil companies. This exclusive report by The Washington Post reveals Trump's request for them to raise $1 billion for his re-election campaign.

According to sources familiar with the meeting held last month in Florida, Trump pledged to roll back President Joe Biden's legislative regulations on electric vehicles, and pollution emissions rules, and to halt the freezing of licenses for new liquefied natural gas exports. The meeting took place at Mar-a-Lago, where an executive expressed frustration over the challenges posed by environmental regulations, despite having spent $400 million solely on lobbying the Biden administration last year.

Trump's response surprised many in the room overlooking the ocean: "You're all rich enough to raise $1 billion to help me return to the White House," he said.

During the dinner, he vowed to swiftly overturn dozens of Biden's environmental regulations and cease the introduction of new ones, according to individuals familiar with the meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe a private conversation.

According to the same sources, Trump argued that giving $1 billion would be a "good deal" for them due to the tax breaks and regulations they would subsequently avoid.