Trump Revives Keystone XL Nightmare with New Pipeline Permit

In a brazen display of executive overreach, President Donald Trump signed a Presidential Permit authorizing Bridger to construct a cross-border oil pipeline from Canada to the United States. The permit explicitly allows the project to utilize assets from the abandoned Keystone XL pipeline, a controversial project previously halted due to environmental concerns and public opposition.

The Keystone XL pipeline had become a lightning rod for environmental activists and indigenous groups who warned of its devastating impact on climate change and local ecosystems. By reviving the project under a new name and with minimal public input, the Trump administration is doubling down on its pattern of sidelining democratic norms and environmental protections.

This permit circumvents Congress and state authorities, continuing a troubling pattern of the administration using executive orders to push through fossil fuel projects despite widespread resistance. The move also signals a blatant disregard for the global climate crisis, prioritizing corporate interests over the urgent need to transition to cleaner energy sources.

Bridger’s pipeline, leveraging Keystone XL’s abandoned infrastructure, promises to lock in decades more of carbon pollution. This decision starkly contrasts with the growing calls for climate action and accountability, highlighting the administration’s role in accelerating environmental degradation.

By greenlighting this pipeline, Trump is not just reviving a failed project; he is amplifying the authoritarian playbook of bypassing checks and balances to favor fossil fuel profits. This is yet another example of the administration’s assault on democratic processes and environmental justice — a pattern we must continue to expose and resist.