Powering the Pentagon: Trump Ties Military Energy to Coal

What Happened

President Trump signed an executive order directing the Pentagon to buy electricity from coal-fired power plants to supply U.S. military bases. The order calls for long-term power purchase agreements, with Trump saying the military will be ‘buying a lot of coal’ to guarantee steady, around-the-clock power for defense operations.

The order is paired with $175 million from the United States Department of Energy to help extend the life of six coal plants in several states. The administration believes that coal provides dependable baseload electricity that wind and solar cannot consistently match.

The order marks a sharp turn from recent Pentagon planning, which leaned toward on-site renewable energy and microgrids. Those systems were designed to let bases operate independently during blackouts or attacks on civilian grids. Instead, installations will now commit to long-term contracts with coal plants that have struggled to compete with cheaper energy sources in recent years.

Why It Matters

The order shows a willingness to override market trends that have pushed coal into decline. Natural gas and renewables typically generate electricity at lower cost, prompting utilities to retire coal plants even without strict environmental mandates. But by requiring the military to purchase coal power, the White House is using defense spending to stabilize an industry that has been losing ground.

This $1.1B Giant’s Even Bigger Than Previously Thought

In 2023, a GM-backed startup bought mining rights to 100,000+ acres of lithium-rich Chilean land. The buyer, EnergyX, estimated at least 2.6 million tons of lithium sat untapped. Turns out there’s even greater upside.

A third-party study recently verified that the site, dubbed Project Black Giant™, holds at least 4.5M tons and up to 9.8M. Now that the study is complete, EnergyX is preparing for commercial extraction.

Their patented tech extracts up to 3 times more lithium than traditional methods, so they have the means and access to scale Project Black Giant™ to its $1.1B annual revenue potential at projected market prices.

40K+ people have already invested. EnergyX even earned support from the Department of Energy.*

You can join them as an EnergyX shareholder before their share price increases from $11/share after February 26th.

Energy reliability is a real concern for the military, as bases rely on uninterrupted power for command centers, communications, weapons storage, and training. A prolonged outage could disrupt operations. Still, many energy analysts argue that reliability depends more on grid design, backup systems, and redundancy than on a single fuel source. Modern gas plants can deliver consistent supply, and battery storage increasingly helps renewables smooth out fluctuations.

The economics pull in opposite directions. Extending the life of coal plants could steady jobs in mining regions and secure a domestic energy source tied to defense. But if coal power costs more than alternatives, taxpayers will be the ones to pay the difference, and defense funds that might support training or equipment instead sustain aging plants.

Strategically, the Pentagon has been investing in microgrids and on-site generation to make bases more resilient against storms, cyberattacks, or physical disruption. While coal contracts may provide consistent supply, they do little on their own to reduce the risks that come with dependence on the civilian grid.

How It Affects You

If coal-generated electricity ends up costing more than other sources, the Pentagon will still be bound by long-term contracts to buy it. That commitment could narrow budget flexibility, with funds that might have supported training, equipment, or personnel redirected toward fixed energy purchases.

In coal-producing regions, extended plant operations may preserve jobs and local tax revenue that would otherwise fade. However, in other parts of the country, maintaining older facilities can raise overall system costs, expenses that often work their way through utilities and rate structures.

For those who live and work on or around military bases, the issue comes down to performance, not politics. The real measure is whether this approach keeps power steady during crises and reduces vulnerability to disruption. If it does, the policy will carry more weight.

In the end, the order prioritizes a security rationale over prevailing market trends. Its success will be measured not by political symbolism but by whether it delivers stronger readiness without imposing unnecessary costs.

*Disclaimer: Energy Exploration Technologies, Inc. (“EnergyX”) has engaged Shortlysts to publish this communication in connection with EnergyX’s ongoing Regulation A offering. Shortlysts has been paid in cash and may receive additional compensation. Shortlysts and/or its affiliates do not currently hold securities of EnergyX. This compensation and any current or future ownership interest could create a conflict of interest. Please consider this disclosure alongside EnergyX’s offering materials. EnergyX’s Regulation A offering has been qualified by the SEC. Offers and sales may be made only by means of the qualified offering circular. Before investing, carefully review the offering circular, including the risk factors. The offering circular is available at invest.energyx.com/.