In a recent appearance on the Clay & Buck podcast, sponsored by PureTalk, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum laid bare the stark realities facing California’s energy landscape. Speaking from Washington, D.C., Burgum highlighted how the Golden State’s aggressive climate policies are not just driving up gas prices but posing a genuine threat to America’s energy security. With gas prices in California often double those in more energy-friendly states, Burgum’s insights underscore a broader divide: red states thriving on common-sense energy strategies while blue states like California grapple with self-inflicted vulnerabilities.
Burgum pointed out the eye-opening disparity in fuel costs. While some parts of the country enjoy regular gas under $2 per gallon, Southern California drivers routinely face $5 to $7 at the pump. This isn’t a coincidence—it’s the direct fallout from what Burgum calls “climate extremism.” California’s policies have systematically eroded its domestic energy production, forcing the state to rely heavily on foreign oil. Today, foreign suppliers account for about two-thirds of the crude oil refined in California, with Iraq leading as the top importer.
This dependency isn’t just economic; it’s a strategic liability. Shipping oil across oceans from volatile regions exposes the U.S. to supply disruptions, geopolitical tensions, and higher transportation costs—all while safer, domestic alternatives like pipelines from American producers sit underutilized.
Gas prices in blue states, in some cases double those in red states, are a direct result of their climate extremist policies. pic.twitter.com/W4sDfoNbx6
— Secretary Doug Burgum (@SecretaryBurgum) February 10, 2026
The refinery situation paints an even grimmer picture. California once boasted over 40 operable refineries in the 1980s, a number that has dwindled to just 13 as of 2025.
Now, with Phillips 66 shutting down its Los Angeles-area refinery in late 2025 and Valero idling its Benicia facility by April 2026, the state is set to lose nearly 20% of its refining capacity in a short span.
These closures, driven by stringent regulations, high operational costs, and uncertainty around mandates like the 2035 ban on new internal combustion engine vehicles, will exacerbate shortages. Burgum emphasized that California, home to more gas-powered vehicles than any other state has vehicles in total, is paradoxically choking its own fuel supply chain.
This isn’t merely a state issue—it’s a national security risk. By importing 63% of its oil from abroad, including from countries like Iraq, Brazil, Guyana, and Ecuador, California is vulnerable to international instability.
Disruptions in global shipping lanes, such as those in the Middle East or South America, could spike prices nationwide, given California’s outsized role in U.S. fuel consumption. Moreover, as refineries close, the state will lean even harder on imports of refined products from places like China, India, and South Korea, where environmental standards are laxer, ironically undermining California’s green goals while boosting emissions from long-haul tankers.
Secretary Doug Burgum responded: “California is actually a national security threat. It’s policies to the whole country, because they import 2 thirds, 63% of California’s oil is being imported from foreign countries, as opposed to be provided from places in America by a pipeline.”
Burgum also said: “These policies are gonna create a tale of, like the tale of two cities. It’s going to be a tale of two approaches, and red states with common sense energy policies are beginning to see the benefits right now in terms of growth and low energy costs and capital investment.”
The economic ripple effects are profound. High energy costs are repelling investment and manufacturing. As Burgum noted, no one builds a factory where electricity and transportation fuels cost double. Capital is fleeing to red states with pro-energy policies, fostering growth in places like Texas and Florida. California’s exodus of people and businesses is no accident—it’s the predictable outcome of policies that prioritize ideology over affordability and security.
Shout out to the PureTalk Podcast for hosting this candid discussion with Secretary Burgum—it’s conversations like these that shine a light on the urgent need for energy dominance. To avert a full-blown crisis, California must reverse course: ease regulations, incentivize domestic production, and prioritize pipelines over tankers. Otherwise, the state risks not just higher prices at the pump but compromising the nation’s energy independence. As Burgum warns, this tale of two approaches—common sense versus extremism—will define America’s future.
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