President Donald Trump, in a virtual address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, confirmed the United States' commitment to ensuring reliable supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe. This comes as Europe seeks to reduce its dependency on Russian energy sources.

During the WEF discussion, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne raised concerns about the potential impact of expanding U.S. LNG exports on domestic gas prices, asking Trump whether the U.S. would be able to guarantee LNG supplies for Europe amid such price pressures. Trump responded affirmatively, stating that he would prioritize Europe’s energy security. He emphasized his commitment to speeding up the permitting process for LNG projects, even after the U.S. became the world’s top LNG exporter in 2023 under his predecessor.

"I would make sure that you get it," Trump assured. "The more that you do, the lower the price is going to go, and what I'd like to see is rapid approvals," he added, referencing his administration’s focus on accelerating LNG development.

Earlier this week, President Trump ordered the U.S. Energy Department to restart the process of considering LNG export applications, which had been paused under the Biden administration. The Energy Department also extended a comment period on an environmental and economic study concerning the industry, signaling that export approvals would not be granted immediately.

However, the growing LNG industry has faced pushback from certain U.S. manufacturing sectors, which rely heavily on affordable domestic gas. These groups worry that an accelerated LNG expansion could push up prices, harming U.S. consumers.

In addition to his focus on LNG, Trump also discussed the need for more power plants to meet increasing electricity demand, particularly due to the rise of artificial intelligence. He stated that he would use emergency declarations to bypass lengthy approval processes, ensuring that power plant construction could proceed quickly. Trump also touted coal as a backup power source, despite its declining role in U.S. electricity generation.

While acknowledging that coal currently makes up only 16% of U.S. electricity production, Trump highlighted its potential for use in emergencies. "There are some companies in the U.S. that have coal sitting right by the plant, so that if there's an emergency, they can go to that short-term basis and use our very clean coal," he said.

Trump also criticized the European Union, accusing it of making it difficult for U.S. companies to sell products in Europe while benefiting from U.S. markets. His comments underscored the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and the EU over trade practices.

Trump’s remarks signal a continued push for U.S. energy dominance while seeking to address both domestic and international energy needs.