Hegseth Invokes National Security in Seeking to Exempt Gulf Oil & Gas Activities from Endangered Species Act - CleanTechnica

The Trump Administration has invoked national security concerns to seek an exemption for all oil and gas exploration and drilling activities in the Gulf of Mexico from the protections of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This move, confirmed in a filing to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, is linked to the administration’s pursuit of conflict with Iran. A federal panel known as the “God Squad,” which has the authority to override ESA protections, scheduled a meeting on March 31 to consider this exemption request. Due to security concerns, the meeting will be accessible to the public only via livestream. The Gulf of Mexico is home to the critically endangered Rice’s whale, with a population estimated to be fewer than 100 individuals, making the exemption particularly contentious. Environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, have strongly opposed the administration’s actions. Sierra Club Executive Director Loren Blackford criticized the exemption as a dangerous abuse of power that prioritizes oil and gas industry profits