Alaska Natives Applaud Trump as Officials Tour North Slope Amid Energy Policy Shift

In a historic visit to Alaska’s frigid North Slope, White House officials, including Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, met with local Alaska Natives and residents in Utqiagvik to discuss the future of energy development in this vital region. Joined by Governor Mike Dunleavy, the delegation engaged directly with communities often overlooked by decision-makers thousands of miles away in Washington.

The mood was one of relief and gratitude, particularly among Alaska Natives like Charles Lampe from Kaktovik, a remote village within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Lampe passionately recounted how environmental groups and federal policies under the previous administration threatened their way of life, attempting to block development in their ancestral lands. He credited President Donald Trump for stepping in on Day 1 to protect their rights, ensuring their homeland wasn’t 'stolen' by overreaching regulations. For many in the North Slope, development means jobs and resources, not just preservation through restriction.

Lampe didn’t hold back his appreciation, emphasizing that a different election outcome could have spelled disaster for his community. He even extended a personal invitation to Trump to visit ANWR’s 'Section 1002'—the heart of potential oil and gas development—to see the stakes firsthand. Burgum hinted that the president might just take him up on that offer, noting Trump’s surprising openness to tackling local challenges, like pushing for better roads to support operations.

Energy Secretary Wright, reflecting on his tour of the historic Prudhoe Bay Discovery Well, painted a stark picture of decline—not due to a lack of oil, but because of stifling federal bureaucracy. He highlighted the untapped potential beneath Alaska’s tundra and envisioned a future where projects like the 'Big, Beautiful, Twin Natural Gas Pipeline' could position Alaska as a linchpin of global energy security, drawing partners like Japan and Korea away from reliance on China.

This visit, coupled with Governor Dunleavy’s recent spotlight at a global sustainable energy conference in Anchorage, signals a renewed focus on Alaska as a powerhouse for America’s energy needs. For the residents of the North Slope, it’s not just about oil—it’s about reclaiming their voice in shaping their future.