Trump promised the American people that he would bring down energy costs by 50% in his first year in office. But how has that promise gone? Has Trump kept his word? Is this promise even realistic?
We looked into exactly what Trump said, what his options are to achieve such a goal, and whether a huge drop in prices is even realistic or possible.
Trump’s Promise
Donald Trump.
In 2024, during his campaign for the presidency, Trump announced that “energy is a big deal, and we’re going to get that – it’s my ambition to get your energy bill within 12 months down 50%.”
Later, he elaborated on his promises in Detroit when he said, “We will frack, frack, frack and drill, baby, drill, […] I will cut your energy prices in half within 12 months. […] Cut them in half within 12 months of taking office. That’s going to bring everything down.”
Did He Keep His Promise?
Donald Trump.
As of March 2025, Trump has not kept his promise. In fact, energy prices have been increasing since Trump took office, reaching new highs.
Experts also agree that Trump’s policies will not only be ineffective in bringing prices down, they might actually make them worse. For example, Trump’s ongoing trade war with Canada and Mexico is already threating the energy supply in the Northeast that is provided by Canada, and the oil supply that is imported through Mexico.
Additionally, the price of oil is set internationally, not by local supply. A mild increase in the amount of oil produced by the United States might reduce some prices for a while in the United States, but as the international market adjusts, prices will probably return to their current levels quickly. But this drop would be nowhere near the 50% he has promised, which is impossible.
A 50% drop in energy prices would mean that oil and gas companies would be making a loss by providing energy at such a price, and no private company would be willing to do that. Legislation forcing them to do so would only lead to companies leaving the country. Yet, Trump does have most of the year remaining to pull a rabbit out of his hat and make it work.
Finally, Trump’s focus on oil and natural gas isn’t the most cost-efficient way of reducing prices anyway. If Trump really wanted to reduce prices, he would go after the cheaper forms of energy: renewables and nuclear.
The only real way to reduce prices by that much would be to nationalize the energy companies.
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