Trump’s Energy Strategy Recasts the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as Gradual Refill Advances

Overview

• Officials say the reserve is being refilled over time after Biden-era releases that drove stocks to multi‑decade lows and may take months or years to restore.
• An energy economist told Fox News the SPR is less central today because the U.S. has become a leading oil and natural gas producer.
• Trump signed an “Unleashing American Energy” order and moved to accelerate LNG export approvals as part of a broader push to expand domestic supply.
• DOE currently has limited refill resources, with recent legislation outlining $171 million for crude purchases, $218 million for maintenance, and proposals including $416 million to cancel mandated sales.
• Lawmakers have floated sourcing discounted Venezuelan crude in pending legislation, while a U.S. official said using Venezuelan oil specifically to refill the SPR is not under consideration.