It is often said that when trouble knocks, true character is revealed. That truth is now plain to see in the actions of California Governor Gavin Newsom. After spending years attacking the oil and gas industry, shutting down drilling permits, and preaching the gospel of climate alarmism, Newsom has flipped his stance. Why? Because the reality of leadership has finally caught up with him—and so has the price at the pump.
Just a few years ago, in 2021, Newsom proudly declared that California would stop issuing new fracking permits by 2024. He claimed that the so-called “climate crisis” demanded swift and bold action. And so, he set out to cripple the oil industry in Kern County, home to the vast majority of California’s oil production. These policies were cheered by environmental extremists and far-left activists, but they brought fear and hardship to working families, especially those who depend on affordable fuel to live and work.
Now, in 2025, facing the very real threat of gas prices rising to $8 per gallon, Newsom is singing a different tune. Suddenly, the same oil producers he once punished are now being asked to drill more. The very industry he tried to shut down is now being asked to bail him out of a crisis of his own making. He is backing a bill that would allow more drilling in Kern County. This is not leadership. This is desperation.
The truth is simple: California cannot function without oil. No matter how many solar panels or wind turbines the state installs, the people still need gasoline for their cars, trucks, and tractors. They need affordable energy to keep the lights on and the shelves stocked. And when oil refineries began to threaten to leave the state, taking jobs and energy with them, the politicians in Sacramento finally realized the truth. Without oil, California collapses.
Even environmental groups, once strong allies of Newsom, are now shocked and angry at his change of course. They thought they had a champion in the governor. But now they see that political power—not principle—drives his decisions. These groups are scrambling to block Senate Bill 237, the very bill Newsom supports to increase drilling. But they are running out of time, and out of allies.
This reversal reveals a deeper problem with the radical green agenda. It is built on fantasy, not facts. It assumes we can simply turn off the oil and gas spigot without any plan to replace it. That kind of thinking may win applause in elite circles, but it wreaks havoc on working families. When gas prices soar, it is not the wealthy or the politicians who suffer. It is the truck drivers, the single mothers, the elderly, and the farmers who bear the burden.
Governor Newsom wants to be seen as a national leader. He is clearly eyeing a run for president in 2028. But how can he lead a nation when he cannot even lead his own state without reversing himself at the first sign of trouble? His actions prove that the left’s climate agenda is not only harmful—it is unsustainable.
President Trump, by contrast, has always understood the importance of energy independence. He fought to unleash American energy, to bring back jobs, and to lower prices for all Americans. That is the kind of bold and consistent leadership our nation needs.
Gavin Newsom’s flip-flop on oil drilling is a cautionary tale. It shows what happens when leaders chase headlines instead of truth, and when ideology replaces common sense. The people of California—and indeed, the whole nation—deserve better. We must return to policies that put American families first, protect our industries, and safeguard our way of life from the foolish experiments of the radical left.
