President Donald Trump used the Defense Production Act on October 22, 2026, to make up to $150 million available to expand U.S. petroleum production, refining and fuel transportation and delivery, saying that capacity is important to national defense.
The administration plans to use Title III of the Cold War-era law. Title III allows the federal government to help expand industrial capacity through financial aid and commitments to buy products. The Energy Department says the money is intended to support domestic production, storage and the movement of petroleum products at refineries.
The support could cover gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other petroleum products. The department estimates the effort could add millions of gallons per day to U.S. refining output. That figure is a projection, not an increase that has already been reported.
Trump's determination describes petroleum production, refining and related infrastructure as essential to national defense. That infrastructure includes pipelines, storage facilities and marine terminals. The determination cites difficulty securing financing, the long time needed to complete projects and infrastructure bottlenecks.
The Energy Department says the funding would come from a previously appropriated $1 billion pool for energy projects considered critical to national security. The department has not named the projects or recipients. It says the selection process is ongoing.
As a result, it remains unclear how much capacity will be added or when.