President Donald Trump is striving toward using America's energy as a way to gain global influence, Energy Secretary Rick Perry said Monday.
According to The Hill, Perry spoke at the White House at the start of the administration's Energy Week and said the United States' energy capabilities can be used as a political bargaining chip.
"President Trump wants America to achieve energy dominance, utilizing our abundant domestic energy resources for good, both here at home and abroad," Perry said.
"An energy-dominant America means a self-reliant, secure nation, free from geopolitical turmoil of other nations who seek to use energy as an economic weapon. An energy-dominant America will export to markets around the world, increasing our global leadership and influence."
Perry, The Hill reported, added that too many regulations have been passed in recent years that put restrictions on the oil and gas industry without listening to both sides.
"The lecturing is over," Perry said. "It is now time to listen."
Reuters reported Trump will deliver a speech Thursday that will focus on his administration's plans to export U.S. oil, natural gas, and coal, which he said would lead to job creation.
"We've gone from the age of scarcity now to the age of abundance when it comes to American energy," White House energy policy aide Mike Catanzaro said.
"We want to use those abundant resources for good here at home and for good abroad as well."
Trump announced earlier this month he would withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement.