The war between the United States and Iran is close to entering its third month, and the impact on global energy markets is worsening. POLITICO’s Kelsey Tamborrino and James Bikales break down the energy fallout, how the Trump administration has subtly shifted its messaging, and why there’s growing uncertainty among Republican strategists ahead of the November midterm elections. Kelsey Tamborrino is a reporter covering clean energy for POLITICO. James Bikales is an oil and gas reporter for POLIT...
Apr 24, 2026•16 min
Federal energy regulators are preparing a major proposal that could reshape how energy-hungry data centers connect to America’s power grid. POLITICO’s AJ Camacho breaks down what to know about FERC’s proposal and how that decision -- expected in coming weeks -- could reshape America’s AI rollout and power system. Plus, President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to strengthen federal funding for a host of energy projects. Francisco "A.J." Camacho is a reporter for POLITICO’s E&...
Apr 22, 2026•16 min
POLITICO Energy host Josh Siegel sits down with newly appointed Sen. Alan Armstrong (R-Okla.), a longtime energy executive entering Congress with a singular goal: passing energy permitting reform. They discuss why Armstrong believes he’s uniquely positioned to get a deal done, whether high energy prices could hurt Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms and the broader energy implications of the Iran war. Josh Siegel is an energy reporter for POLITICO and the host of POLITICO Energy. Nirmal Mulai...
Apr 20, 2026•23 min
Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum urged top U.S. oil and gas executives on a call Thursday to increase their companies' production in an effort to lower oil prices. The conversation comes as tensions with Iran escalate and high energy costs are putting pressure on consumers and President Donald Trump’s approval ratings ahead of the midterms. POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre breaks down the White House’s strategy, how oil companies are feeling right now, and the broader econ...
Apr 17, 2026•14 min
Global economic leaders are gathering in Washington D.C. this week for the spring meetings hosted by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, and energy strategy is at the top of the agenda. But the Trump administration’s energy agenda and the Iran War are adding a new layer of complexity to those talks. POLITICO’s Sara Schonhardt breaks down how that tension could shape global energy and economic policy in the years ahead. Sara Schonhardt is an international climate reporter for POLITICO...
Apr 15, 2026•14 min
A Wisconsin town recently passed a first-of-its-kind referendum blocking future data center construction, one of several similar efforts appearing on ballots at the local and state level during this year’s midterm elections. These fights come as data centers, a major part of President Donald Trump’s AI agenda, come under increased scrutiny from voters raising concerns about their energy and environmental costs. POLITICO’s Tyler Katzenberger breaks down the lessons from this recent Wisconsin elec...
Apr 13, 2026•15 min
America’s oil industry is privately lobbying top Trump administration officials — including the president himself — to block any permanent peace plan with Iran that would leave Tehran charging tolls in the Strait of Hormuz. POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre explains the oil industry’s short-term and long-term concerns, how the White House is responding, and why this waterway could make or break the deal. Plus, a new POLITICO survey found that Europeans want more renewable energy even if it temporarily inc...
Apr 10, 2026•11 min
The Trump administration recently announced plans to restructure how the federal government oversees energy development in federal waters, which accounts for a meaningful chunk of U.S. energy and mineral production and billions of dollars in government revenue. POLITICO’s Ian Stevenson breaks down why the move is controversial and the impact it could have on the future of offshore drilling. Ian Stevenson covers energy as well as public lands and the Interior Department for POLITICO. Nirmal Mulai...
Apr 08, 2026•10 min
Today, POLITICO Energy host Zack Colman sits down with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis for an extended conversation. They discuss what rising energy prices mean for Americans, Democrats’ messaging on energy and climate change ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, and how one of the most prominent blue state governors is navigating the Trump administration. Zack Colman covers climate change for POLITICO. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy e...
Apr 06, 2026•25 min
President Donald Trump’s latest address to the nation on the war with Iran is already sending ripples through global energy markets, as oil prices climb and uncertainty grows around the Strait of Hormuz. POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre and James Bikales break down what the administration’s strategy means for energy markets, global supply, and gas prices at home. Plus, senior Trump administration officials declared that all oil and gas activity on federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico is exempt from Endan...
Apr 03, 2026•16 min
Across the country, many Democratic governors are shifting from ambitious climate policies to prioritizing energy affordability as costs rise and political pressure builds ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. POLITICO’s Adam Aton explains what’s driving the change, the political trade-offs behind it, how it’s affecting the clean energy industry, and whether it signals a lasting shift for the party. Adam Aton covers the politics of climate change for POLITICO’s E&E News. Nirmal Mulaikal is th...
Apr 01, 2026•14 min
Today, POLITICO’s James Bikales and Kelsey Tamborrino unpack the biggest takeaways from CERAWeek 2026, one of the world’s most influential energy conferences, as the industry grapples with geopolitical tensions, rising demand from artificial intelligence, and shifting U.S. policy. They also break down POLITICO’s exclusive interviews with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, plus a few under-the-radar storylines from the conference. Kelsey Tamborrino is a reporter cove...
Mar 30, 2026•16 min
Today, POLITICO's deputy editor-in-chief Joe Schatz sits down for an extended interview with EPA administrator Lee Zeldin. They discuss the agency’s ambitious deregulatory agenda, President Donald Trump’s energy dominance agenda, the war with Iran, chemical safety and Make America Healthy Again. Joe Schatz is the deputy editor-in-chief of POLITICO. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. Cyril Zaneski is executive ed...
Mar 27, 2026•33 min
Today, POLITICO reporter Francisco “A.J.” Camacho sits down for an extended interview with Judy Chang, a Democratic commissioner at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. They discuss the growing strain on America's power grid, rising electricity prices, FERC’s independence under the Trump administration, and the key policy issues on the agency’s docket. Francisco "A.J." Camacho is a reporter for POLITICO’s E&E News. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITICO Energy...
Mar 26, 2026•25 min
Today, POLITICO’s senior politics columnist Jonathan Martin sits down for an extended interview with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the head of the White House’s National Energy Dominance Council. They discuss President Donald Trump’s energy agenda including the Iran war, Venezuela, high energy prices at home, congressional regulatory reforms, competing with China and more. Jonathan Martin is the politics bureau chief at POLITICO. Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and executive producer of POLITIC...
Mar 25, 2026•33 min
Today, POLITICO Energy guest host Hannah Northey sits down for an extended interview with John Jovanovic, the chairman and president of the Export-Import Bank of the United States. They discuss the Trump administration’s $12 billion initiative to build a domestic stockpile of critical minerals, the complicated geopolitics of this issue, how the bank fits into the Trump administration’s broader energy strategy and more. Hannah Northey covers the nexus of mining, environmental policy and politics ...
Mar 23, 2026•24 min
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering scrapping a decades-old radiation safety standard. It’s a move that would support the Trump administration’s push to expand nuclear power in the United States, but it would also raise key questions about public health risks and the industry’s standards. POLITICO’s AJ Camacho breaks down the proposal, where congressional lawmakers and the nuclear industry stand, and the potential public health concerns. Francisco "A.J." Camacho is a reporter for PO...
Mar 20, 2026•13 min
POLITICO Energy host Manuel Quiñones sits down for an extended interview with Daniel Yergin, the vice chairman of S&P Global and chairman of CERAWeek, one of the world’s largest and most influential gatherings of energy leaders and policymakers. They preview next week’s conference and discuss the major forces shaping the global energy agenda, including the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and data centers, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and shifting energy markets. Manuel Quiñ...
Mar 18, 2026•22 min
Today, POLITICO Energy host Nirmal Mulaikal sits down for an extended interview with Jason Bordoff, the founding director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University and a former senior director for energy and climate change on the National Security Council during the Obama administration. They discuss why the war in the Middle East could — contrary to conventional wisdom — actually strengthen China’s energy dominance in the long-run, along with the conflict’s implications for E...
Mar 16, 2026•19 min
Global oil prices have surged after the U.S. war with Iran, and they may not fall anytime soon even if the conflict ends quickly. POLITICO’s Scott Waldman explains why high oil prices could persist long after the fighting stops, presenting a political problem for President Donald Trump and the Republican party as voters focus on affordability issues in the run-up to the midterms. Plus, the Justice Department has sued California for effectively imposing an electric vehicle mandate, and the Energy...
Mar 13, 2026•13 min
Permitting reform negotiations on Capitol Hill may be gaining new momentum after weeks of stalled talks, and now the White House is stepping into the mix. POLITICO’s Kelsey Brugger breaks down why negotiations restarted now, how rising energy prices and electricity demand are raising the political stakes ahead of the midterms, and whether lawmakers can finally overcome years of failed attempts to pass a sweeping permitting deal. Plus, the Energy Information Administration sharply raised its fore...
Mar 11, 2026•13 min
Today, POLITICO Energy host Arianna Skibell sits down for an extended interview with Charles Hua, the executive director of PowerLines, a nonprofit that advocates for modernizing the nation’s utility regulatory system. They discuss why America’s power bills are going up, how regulators could bring them down, the role of data centers on the grid, and rising electricity costs as a new, defining political issue. Arianna Skibell is an energy and climate reporter for POLITICO. Stefan Todorovic is the...
Mar 09, 2026•29 min
The White House is scrambling to keep gasoline prices from spiking after the U.S. attack on Iran, which rattled the world’s energy markets and is causing economic uncertainty at home. And yet, every time President Donald Trump has made an economic gamble so far during his second term, the U.S. economy has remained somewhat resilient. POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre and Victoria Guida break down what the administration is doing behind the scenes, how higher oil prices could affect the broader U.S. econom...
Mar 06, 2026•17 min
The escalating conflict in the Middle East after the United States and Israel attacked Iran over the weekend is driving up energy prices and rattling global markets. POLITICO’s James Bikales unpacks the immediate market reaction, the Trump administration’s next steps, the potential impact on domestic and global energy prices moving forward, and how lawmakers in both parties are responding. Plus, President Donald Trump is expected to host a White House event today with tech companies to lay out a...
Mar 04, 2026•14 min
Today, POLITICO Energy host Zack Colman sits down for an extended interview with Drew Maloney, the president and CEO and the Edison Electric Institute, the trade association for investor-owned utilities that maintain America’s power grid while also generating and distributing most of the country’s electricity. They discuss President Donald Trump’s recent energy actions, the energy affordability conversation, the rapid growth of data centers, and how electricity has become one of the year’s most ...
Mar 02, 2026•26 min
President Donald Trump's State of the Union address served as both a victory lap and a messaging blueprint for Republicans heading into the midterm elections. POLITICO’s Zack Colman and Scott Waldman unpack what the Trump emphasized, what he left out and whether energy is shaping up to be a defining issue for voters this November. Scott Waldman is the White House reporter for POLITICO. Zack Colman covers climate change for POLITICO. Stefan Todorovic is the video producer of POLITICO Energy. Nirm...
Feb 27, 2026•18 min
As data centers rapidly expand across the country to power AI and cloud computing, some Democratic underdogs are turning the energy-hungry facilities into a 2026 campaign issue, arguing that they could raise electricity bills and strain local resources. POLITICO’s Timothy Cama breaks down this trend, what voters actually think about data centers, and whether it’s an effective political strategy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Feb 25, 2026•14 min
Today, POLITICO Energy host Kelsey Tamborrino sits down for an extended interview with David Carroll, the newly elected chair of the board of the American Clean Power Association, for his first official interview in that role. ACP, which represents most of the companies building new wind, solar and battery projects across the country, is at the center of President Donald Trump’s sweeping push against clean energy. They discuss Trump’s offshore wind stop-work orders, permitting reform, energy aff...
Feb 23, 2026•29 min
This week, the Trump administration offered a striking contrast in its environmental agenda — blasting Maryland leaders over an ecological disaster at home while successfully pushing the International Energy Agency to remove climate change as a top priority abroad. POLITICO’s Miranda Willson and Sara Schonhardt break down what this split-screen approach reveals about the Trump administration’s priorities and its implications for the United States and world. Plus, the Senate Energy and Natural Re...
Feb 20, 2026•17 min
President Donald Trump has reshaped the Nuclear Regulatory Commission over the past year to align it more closely with his administration’s nuclear ambitions. But current and former officials told POLITICO that the NRC is no longer operating independently, raising new questions about the future of the nation’s nuclear safety watchdog. POLITICO’s A.J. Camacho joins host Nirmal Mulaikal to explain what’s changed inside the agency and how that could impact public safety and America’s nuclear reviva...
Feb 18, 2026•13 min
