Trump Orders Santa Barbara Oil Pipeline Restart, Newsom Outraged

President Donald Trump has ordered the restart of a long-shuttered oil pipeline and offshore drilling system along the Santa Barbara coast, setting up a direct confrontation with Gavin Newsom and California officials who have vowed to block the move in court.

The order comes as global oil markets are under pressure following the war with Iran, which has driven crude prices to around $100 per barrel and pushed gasoline prices in California above $5.40 per gallon. The Trump administration argues that restarting dormant domestic energy infrastructure is a necessary step to strengthen America’s energy supply and protect national security.

California leaders and environmental groups, however, say the order defies court rulings and state authority. Newsom has already promised to sue the federal government in an attempt to stop the restart.

The dispute has quickly become a high profile political battle over energy policy, federal authority, and California’s long standing resistance to new oil development.

Trump Uses Emergency Powers to Restart Oil Production

The Trump administration invoked emergency powers under the Defense Production Act of 1950 to force the restart of offshore oil platforms and the pipeline network tied to the Santa Ynez Unit along the Santa Barbara County coast.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the decision is intended to strengthen America’s oil supply during a time of global disruption.

“Today’s order will strengthen America’s oil supply and restore a pipeline system vital to our national security and defense, ensuring that West Coast military installations have the reliable energy critical to military readiness,” Wright said.

The facilities are operated by Sable Offshore Corp., which purchased the infrastructure from ExxonMobil in 2024 and has been working to restart the system ever since.

If the pipeline and offshore platforms resume operations, production could rise from roughly 30,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day to more than 50,000 barrels per day. Federal officials say that output could replace nearly 1.5 million barrels of foreign crude each month and provide additional supply to refineries in Los Angeles, Bakersfield, and the Bay Area.

Supporters argue that restarting the system would help stabilize energy supplies on the West Coast at a time when global oil flows have been disrupted by the Iran conflict.

Newsom Moves to Block the Restart

Newsom reacted with immediate outrage and pledged to fight the order in court.

“Donald Trump started a war, admitted it would spike gas prices nationwide, and told Americans it was a small price to pay,” Newsom said.

“Now he’s using this crisis of his own making to attempt what he’s wanted to do for years: open California’s coast for his oil industry friends so they can poison our beaches.”

Newsom argued that the federal government is attempting to illegally override state oversight and environmental protections.

He also claimed that the pipeline’s operators are facing criminal charges and that the restart violates multiple court orders that previously blocked the project.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has already filed lawsuits challenging earlier federal attempts to shift regulatory authority over the pipeline from California regulators to Washington.

A Pipeline Shut Down After a Major Spill

The Santa Barbara pipeline system has been dormant since a major rupture in May 2015 released more than 100,000 gallons of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean.

The spill coated beaches north of Goleta with oil and killed hundreds of birds and marine mammals, becoming one of the worst coastal spills in California in decades.

Investigators later determined that the rupture was caused by severe corrosion in the pipeline.

Since then, restarting the system has become a lengthy legal battle involving oil companies, environmental groups, state regulators, and federal agencies.

A Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge most recently ordered the pipeline to remain closed until California regulators approve the restart. The ruling reinforced a consent decree requiring approval from the California State Fire Marshal before the pipeline can resume operations.

Trump Moves to Override California’s Blockade

The Trump administration is attempting to bypass those restrictions by invoking the Defense Production Act.

The law gives the president broad authority to direct domestic industry during national emergencies and has been used in the past to mobilize industrial production during wartime and other crises.

Earlier this month the Department of Justice issued a legal opinion concluding that a federal order under the act could override California regulations blocking the restart of the pipeline.

The opinion also suggested that the federal government could bypass the consent decree requiring approval from the California fire marshal.

Supporters say the move is necessary because California’s energy policies have reduced domestic production and left the state heavily dependent on imported oil.

Federal officials have also warned that limited fuel supplies could pose a risk to military installations along the West Coast if foreign oil flows are disrupted.

A Political and Legal Fight Ahead

With Newsom promising lawsuits and environmental groups preparing additional legal challenges, the future of the Santa Barbara pipeline will likely be decided in court.

For the Trump administration, the order represents a push to revive domestic energy production during a global crisis.

For Newsom and his allies, it represents an attempt by Washington to override California’s environmental policies – and an opportunity to fight Trump to gain political currency. Newsom and other California leaders continue to resist those efforts even as energy costs rise.