Trump asked oil CEOs for $1billion in campaign donations in exchange for scrapping Biden's policies on electric vehicles and fossil fuels

Donald Trump made an extraordinary offer to oil executives and lobbyists over a chopped steak dinner at his Mar-a-Lago headquarters: Return me to the White House with $1 billion in donations and I'll overturn Joe Biden's burdensome environmental regulations, including his electric vehicle mandate.

Multiple people with knowledge of the conversation said the offer stunned those present at the 'energy round table' held at his Florida club.

The oil industry figures had reportedly expressed their frustration at new regulations they said were getting in the way of their business, prompting Trump to lay out his idea.

The Biden campaign seized on the reports, accusing the Republican candidate of selling out working families to Big Oil.

The story, reported by the Washington Post, illustrates both the former president's highly transactional approach to politics and his reliance on the oil industry. 

Donald Trump urged oil executives and lobbyists to donate $1 billion to help him with the White House. In return he said he would overturn Joe Biden's green policies

Executives who gathered at Mar-a-Lago complained about regulations harming their industry. Pump jacks are seen here in an oil field in Midland, Texas 

Trump sold the idea as a good 'deal' for those present in return for the repeal of environmental rules and policies and a hold any new ones being enacted.

It comes as the Biden administration hurries to overturn Trump's actions in office and issue new environmental regulations before the election.  

Trump promised a return to less restrictive policies. 

'You've been waiting on a permit for five years; you'll get it on day one,' Trump told the gathering, according to an attendee.

And he took particular aim at new rules to reduce emissions from car tailpipes, boosting sales of E.V.'s. He called the rules 'ridiculous.'

Despite the gripes, the U.S. oil industry is booming.  

Production broke records last year, and the industry is on track to surge to a new high of 13.21 million barrels per day this year, according to the the government's Energy Information Administration.

But Trump promised even better times ahead. he promised to immediately end Biden's freeze on new permits for Liquefied National Gas exports (implemented in order to study their effect on climate change and national security), one of the industry's top asks. 

'You'll get it on the first day,' he said, according someone present.

About 20 people attended the April  11 event at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club

Among those present was North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who has been advising Trump on energy issues after dropping out of the Republican 2024 nomination race

Attendees included Mike Sabel, the chief executive and founder of Venture Global, and Jack Fusco, the chief executive of Cheniere Energy. Figures from companies including Chevron, Continental Resources, Exxon and Occidental. 

About 20 people attended the April 11 event, according to the New York Times. It was organized by Harold Hamm, a billionaire who has long helped developed Republican energy policies.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who has been mentioned as a possible vice presidential pick, was also present. He has been advising Trump on energy issues since dropping out of the 2024 Republican nomination race. 

Trump's message was that they should donate to his campaign because his policies would be better for their industry than Biden's. 

'That has been his pitch to everybody,' said Michael McKenna, who worked in the Trump White House.

And he also reportedly delivered a diatribe against wind turbines. He has repeatedly falsely claimed that they cause cancer.

Biden campaign spokesman Ammar Moussa said: 'This is Trump's corrupt MAGA agenda in a nutshell: Trump acting as a puppet for his largest donors – giving them tax breaks and favorable policies while working families get screwed over.'

While executives have pushed for some of Biden's rules to be reversed, some have also expressed frustration at the way policies are introduced and then thrown out with each change in political leadership. Some say they simply want consistency in order to help with planning.