What did Donald Trump claim about climate and energy on 31 Mar 2022?
Donald Trump, Former President of the United States ·
So after 50 years of being virtually empty, I built up our oil reserves during my administration, and low energy prices, to 100% full. It's called the Strategic National Reserves, and it hasn't been full for many decades. In fact, it's been mostly empty.
He didn't build it up. The reserve fell from 695.1 million barrels in January 2017 to 638.1 million in December 2020, and it had held over 500 million barrels every month since mid-1986.
Energy Information Administration data show the Strategic Petroleum Reserve held 695.1 million barrels in January 2017 and 638.1 million barrels in December 2020, so it shrank by about 8 percent during his term. It had held more than 500 million barrels in every month since mid-1986 (EIA, U.S. Ending Stocks of Crude Oil in SPR).
Claim vs. the record · Climate and energy
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The claim
- Date
- Where
- Written statement posted on his website, donaldjtrump.com (Save America).
The record
Primary source (agency data)