Washington, D.C. – As corporate profits from Big Oil have skyrocketed in recent months, and the average consumer gasoline price in America stubbornly remains above $4 a gallon, the rhetoric of President Trump and policy demands of progressive advocacy organizations are increasingly in alignment.

Earlier this week, dozens of advocacy groups from across the country sent a letter to Congressional leaders calling for passage of a legislative package including a ban on fossil fuel exports and a windfall profits tax on industry majors. The letter was organized by the environmental organization Food & Water Watch and signed by groups including Climate Justice Alliance, Friends of the Earth and GreenFaith.

Meanwhile, President Trump this week accused the two largest U.S. fossil companies, ExxonMobil and Chevron, of “making too much money.” “They ought to give some of that back to the public, and they better cut the retail price, the consumer price,” Trump said this week. 

In response, Food & Water Watch’s Policy Director Jim Walsh issued the following statement:

“Trump’s surprising critique of the fossil fuel industry for raking in record profits while everyday Americans struggle with sky-high energy prices is a welcomed recognition of reality. This change in tone does not change the fact that his policies — motivated by the millions in fossil fuel industry campaign dollars he’s received — have greatly expanded oil and gas extraction and exports, and massive public subsidies that have entrenched this broken system.

“It’s probably no coincidence his musings come on the heels of progressive electoral victories that are reshaping the debate over skyrocketing consumer prices for energy, food and more. It is high time for Congress to act decisively to rein in corporate profits and lower consumer costs for families and small businesses. Americans are quickly losing patience.”