Trump Unveils Massive Offshore Drilling Expansion Across 1.27 Billion Acres Of U.S. Waters

President Donald Trump's administration has unveiled a sweeping proposal to open vast stretches of U.S. coastal waters to oil and gas drilling, setting the stage for one of the largest expansions of offshore fossil fuel extraction in decades. The plan, announced Thursday, covers millions of square miles (kilometers) of ocean territory and is already drawing resistance, especially from California, whose leaders have vowed to block any drilling in the state's coastal waters.

Los Angeles, Nov 21, 2025:

According to the Department of the Interior, the proposal includes 34 lease sales across 1.27 billion acres (500 million hectares) - an expanse comparable to the size of the Amazon rainforest. The plan opens the door to drilling in previously untouched waters off Alaska's northern coast, in the Gulf of Mexico - which the administration refers to as the "Gulf of America" - and off California.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the move reverses what he described as the Biden administration's restrictive policies on offshore energy. "The Biden administration slammed the brakes on offshore oil and gas leasing and crippled the long-term pipeline of America's offshore production," he said, adding that securing the country's offshore energy future requires long-term planning and investment. He argued that the new leasing strategy will keep the offshore industry strong, protect jobs, and maintain U.S. "energy dominance" for years to come.

Trump has repeatedly argued that the United States must expand fossil fuel production and has dismissed the global shift toward renewable energy as a "scam." He frequently calls climate change science "a con." Under his leadership, the U.S. has withdrawn from international climate agreements and did not send an official delegation to the ongoing COP30 climate summit in Brazil.

However, the new drilling plan is likely to face significant domestic hurdles. California Governor Gavin Newsom sharply criticized the proposal, calling it dangerous and irresponsible. "Trump's idiotic plan endangers our coastal economy and communities and hurts the well-being of Californians. This reckless attempt to sell out our coastline to his Big Oil donors is dead in the water," he said. Newsom stressed that Californians have not forgotten the environmental and economic damage caused by past oil spills, and reaffirmed the state's longstanding opposition to new offshore drilling.

Opposition is also expected along the Gulf Coast, where memories of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster - which released millions of gallons (liters) of oil and devastated fishing and tourism - remain strong. Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott quickly voiced his objections, posting on X that "Florida's coasts must remain off the table for oil drilling to protect Florida's tourism, environment, and military training opportunities."