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Trump convenes "God Squad" to override Endangered Species Act, up oil production
- On Tuesday, March 31, 2026, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum will convene the Endangered Species Committee, known as the 'God Squad,' to consider exempting Gulf of America oil and gas operations from the Endangered Species Act.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth triggered the meeting, citing 'reasons of national security,' marking the first time in the 53-year history of the Act that a defense secretary has sought such an exemption.
- The committee, inactive for over 30 years, holds power to override environmental laws, and critics warn the exemption could endanger Rice's whale, a species with only 51 individuals remaining in the Gulf.
- Environmental organizations, including the Center for Biological Diversity, filed a federal lawsuit to block the meeting, while the administration claims the event is 'open to the public' via YouTube livestream.
- This move follows President Donald Trump's January 2025 executive order declaring a 'national energy emergency,' aligning with an administration-wide push to remove obstacles to domestic energy infrastructure by limiting Endangered Species Act implementation.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Giving the green light to oil drilling in protected areas of the Gulf of Mexico, as a U.S. committee invoked by Donald Trump will value, “legalize the destruction of marine life” and give “white letter” to private interests ignoring the most vulnerable fauna. These are some of the fears of environmental organizations such as Oceana and Greenpeace, alarmed at the call by the U.S. Republican government of the colloquially called ‘God Squad’ or Com…
U.S. could exempt oil industry from protecting Gulf animals, for 'national security'
National security has never been used to call a meeting of the "God Squad." But other federal agencies have been citing the "energy emergency" to avoid rules meant to protect endangered animals.
Trump’s "God Squad" Protects Energy Production Over Endangered Species
Republished with permission from The Conversation, by Dan Salas, University of Illinois Chicago There’s a well-worn debate in U.S. politics that goes something like this: Would you rather have abundant and affordable energy or a clean, healthy planet where wildlife can flourish? It sounds like an either/or choice, but it doesn’t have to be. Many corporate leaders, including those I’ve worked with, know that wildlife conservation can also be good…
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