President Donald Trump is giving energy companies something they’ve wanted for years: a quicker timeline for oil and gas drilling permit approvals. According to a new analysis by POLITICO, Trump’s Bureau of Land Management has issued 4,483 applications for permits to drill on federal and Native American land — more than double the number approved during the first year of his first term. 

POLITICO’s Josh Siegel and James Bikales discuss what’s driving the surge in oil and gas permits under Trump, whether it will be tempered by lower crude oil prices, and how much it actually matters in the race to meet rising power demand. 

Josh Siegel is an energy reporter for POLITICO and the host of POLITICO Energy. 

James Bikales is a reporter for POLITICO.  

Nirmal Mulaikal is the co-host and producer of POLITICO Energy.  

Alex Keeney is a senior audio producer at POLITICO.  

Ben Lefebvre is the deputy energy editor at POLITICO. 

Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO. 

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