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'You'll be very happy': Inside Trump's quid pro quo machine
Loyalty Is the PolicyThe Source MaterialA reporter called Trump about Jeff Hildebrand, a billionaire oil donor whose stripper wells emit huge methane pollution and who stands to benefit from methane rule rollbacks. Trump said he barely knew him, then pivoted to the real governing principle: do the opposite of Biden. Later, Trump invited Hildebrand and other executives to the White House, where Hildebrand signaled support for Venezuela oil investment and was told, “You’ll be very happy.”Who Actually Holds PowerThis story is not about an oil tycoon quietly influencing policy from the margins…
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