Governor Gavin Newsom of California recently delivered a speech in which he harshly attacked former president Donald Trump and emphasized the possible risks associated with a reported meeting in Florida where Trump is said to have asked powerful oil and gas executives for $1 billion. Apparently, Trump asked for money in return for the promises to reverse a number of the environmental initiatives of the Biden administration. The American public is eager for additional information regarding the meeting as there are no concrete and confirmed details available. According to Insider report, if the leading oil and gas companies support Trump’s candidacy and he keeps his word, such a deal might save them more than $110 billion.
The controversial Florida meeting is now being investigated
Following the initial report by The Post, Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee promptly contacted nine oil executives, seeking clarification on their recent meeting with Trump in Florida. The correspondence inquired whether Trump proposed a “quid pro quo” arrangement. The Post reports that at the Mar-a-Lago resort meeting in March Trump reportedly asked for a $1 billion campaign donation and pledged to reverse major climate laws right away should he win reelection.
A billion dollars would far exceed the $192 million in reserve that Biden’s campaign has had as of March. With the four court cases in different states, Trump’s campaign fundraising efforts have consistently lagged behind Biden’s, bringing in far less money than the opponent. In order to pay his attorneys, Trump has been using campaign funds and spending millions on legal fees.
Trump’s support among likely voters plummeted
According to a new survey by the advocacy group Data for Progress and Climate Power, a significant percentage of the public is unhappy with what seems to be a deal that Trump has offered to oil companies. According to the study, 58% of potential voters are worried about Trump winning a second term, particularly after learning of his apparent promise to reverse significant components of President Biden’s climate policy. Moreover, 61% of participants said they would reevaluate their backing for any politician that makes such an offer.
Close relations
As more information emerges about Trump’s intimate ties with the oil industry, recent revelations have come to the forefront. Heatmap News recently reported that people closely connected to Big Oil contributed $6.4 million to pay for Trump’s legal expenses in his hush money payments trial in New York. Trump also made an appearance last Wednesday at a Texas fundraiser event that was sponsored by Harold Hamm of Continental Resources and Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, a well-known pipeline company.
“We’re going to bring our economy back again, drill baby drill, we’re bringing energy prices way down,” Trump said in a Saturday interview at the National Rifle Association convention in Texas.
The details
The interpretation of the poll results warrants caution, as the response of voters can shift significantly when they are aware that the comments in question were made by Trump, who retains substantial popularity among Republicans. Although 42 percent of Republican respondents indicated they would reconsider their support for any politician who made comments like those attributed to Trump, this hesitancy diminishes when Trump is recognized as the speaker. Specifically, when it is revealed that Trump made the remarks, 42 percent of Republicans said they would be more likely to support him, whereas only 12 percent indicated they would be less likely.
Nonetheless, the upcoming presidential race is expected to be closely contested, as indicated by most polls, and the potential impact of third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could be crucial. Any decline in support represents a significant challenge for Trump’s campaign. This is especially pertinent among independent voters, as the survey highlighted that 47 percent would reconsider their vote for Trump specifically after learning about his comments at Mar-a-Lago. The survey, which included 1,231 likely voters and was conducted from May 10-13, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
The survey’s findings are fueling a new attempt by climate groups to shave off independent voters in battleground states including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
