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The recent tariffs imposed by the Trump administration mark a significant shift in U.S. trade policy that is expected to have a wide-ranging impact across multiple sectors, including in the energy sector.

On April 8 and 9, 2025, President Donald Trump issued five Presidential Actions (four Executive Orders and one Proclamation, collectively “Presidential Actions”) for the purposes of ensuring adequate and reliable energy generation, meeting growing energy demand, and addressing the national energy emergency declared on January 20, 2025 (EO 14156).

This update is a summary of the Energy-related Executive Orders that have been issued this week by the Administration.

The global energy sector continues to be shaped by geopolitical shifts, regulatory changes, and the ongoing energy transition. As industries and governments navigate decarbonisation, energy security, and evolving investment landscapes, disputes are becoming more frequent and complex.

For more than twenty years, the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”), and later, the United States‑Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”), have facilitated cross-border trade and investment among the United States, Mexico, and Canada through the elimination of virtually all financial barriers to trade.

After little more than a week in office, there is still plenty of speculation, but priorities of the Trump 2.0 Administration are becoming more concrete.

On December 17, 2024, the Office of Fossil and Carbon Management of the Department of Energy (“DOE”) released the long-awaited Liquefied Natural Gas (“LNG”) Export Study (“Study”). The Study was released 11 months after the Biden administration paused pending decisions to export LNG to non-Free Trade Agreement (“FTA”) countries on January 26, 2024.

In this article, Chris Strong, Steven Wilson and Joe Brown* provide a market analysis of the LNG industry in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Kilian de Cintré, Chris Taufatofua, Chris Strong and Ruairi McGill explore the challenges and opportunities in the LNG sector across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Chris Strong, Chris Taufatofua, Jonathan Roberts, and Steven Wilson examine the development of the African LNG industry, as well as its future challenges and opportunities in an article for LNG Industry.

Vinson & Elkins recently expanded its corporate practice in London with the addition of Kilian de Cintré, who joined as an energy and infrastructure partner.

Chris Taufatofua joined Vinson & Elkins’ corporate and finance practice in London as an energy, infrastructure and finance transactions partner, enhancing the firm’s capabilities to advise on complex project financings and other transactions.