Trump to Meet With U.S. Refiners as White House Pushes Expanded Capacity and Lower Gas Prices

President Donald Trump is set to meet Tuesday with oil refiners, distributors and senior administration officials to discuss expanding U.S. refining capacity and increasing energy production across the supply chain in an effort to reduce gasoline prices.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

President Donald Trump is expected to convene oil and gas industry executives at the White House on Tuesday for discussions focused on expanding U.S. refining capacity and lowering fuel costs for American consumers.

The meeting will bring together representatives from small, medium and large refiners and distributors, according to CNBC, which cited people familiar with the plans.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and National Energy Dominance Council Executive Director Jarrod Agen are also expected to participate.

The talks come as the administration looks for ways to increase the amount of crude oil that can be processed domestically into gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products.

While U.S. oil production has expanded substantially over the past several decades, the country’s overall refining capacity has changed relatively little over roughly 40 years, according to federal energy data.

That gap has placed renewed attention on the refining side of the energy supply chain as the White House seeks to translate increased domestic production into lower prices at the pump.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said Trump intends to work directly with industry leaders on ways to increase refining capacity while also expanding energy output throughout the broader supply network.

“President Trump is laser-focused on ensuring his successful energy dominance agenda translates into the most cost savings possible at the pump for consumers,” Rogers said.

The meeting is expected to examine both near-term and longer-term options for increasing the country’s ability to process oil, including potential obstacles facing existing refiners and distributors.

Expanding refining capacity can involve significant capital investment, regulatory approvals, infrastructure development and long construction timelines, making cooperation between federal officials and the private sector a central part of the administration’s strategy.

Trump has repeatedly made increased domestic energy production a major economic priority, arguing that greater U.S. supply can reduce consumer costs while strengthening energy security.

Tuesday’s discussions will broaden that effort beyond crude production by focusing on the facilities and distribution networks needed to turn domestic oil supplies into finished fuels.

The participation of Burgum, Wright and Agen also places the talks within the administration’s wider energy policy agenda, which seeks to coordinate federal land, production, infrastructure and regulatory policies under its push for what the White House calls American energy dominance.

With gasoline prices directly affecting household transportation costs and broader inflation, the administration is positioning greater refining capacity as one component of its effort to bring energy expenses down for consumers.