US liquefied natural gas exports are emerging as an early bargaining chip in a potential deal between Brussels and Washington that would send more energy to Europe in exchange for dissuading Donald Trump from levying hefty import tariffs on EU companies.
European officials have said increased imports of US LNG could play a role in weaning the continent off its continued reliance on Russian imports while also helping to assuage Trump’s concerns over the trade deficit.
For US developers, the expansion of the European market, coupled with Trump’s promise to scrap a pause on export licenses as soon as he takes office, could open the door to rapid growth over the coming four years.
“We look forward to working with the incoming Trump administration to cement America’s role as the world’s leading supplier of clean liquefied natural gas,” said Michael Sabel, chief executive of Venture Global, a leading US LNG developer.