Rollins Holds $2.5M in Oil as Farmers Face Diesel Crisis — SkimNews
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- Brooke Rollins disclosed up to $2.5 million in fossil fuel investments with her husband in July reports, including at least $1 million in Kurdistan-region oil via HKN II, at least $1 million in Texas-based Hillwood Energy New Ventures, and $250,000–$550,000 in Texas operating companies
- Diesel and fertilizer prices hit record highs since Trump launched the Iran war, with farmers incurring $1.5 billion in additional diesel costs alone, according to former Washington Gov. Jay Inslee working with Climate Power
- USDA under Rollins halted funding for wind and solar projects on farmland, disqualified renewables from Rural Energy for America Program loans, and cancelled the Biden-era Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, calling it a "slush fund"
- Trump potentially earned around $15.5 million on his oil and gas holdings since the war began, with his portfolio growing from $45.6 million to as much as $61.1 million per a Joint Economic Committee Minority report
- Oil and gas companies have reported more than $125 billion in profits since the war choked off the Strait of Hormuz, while a JEC report says Trump promised favorable conditions in exchange for $1 billion in industry campaign donations
- The American Farm Bureau projects farmers will lose $31 billion in 2026 and $32 billion in 2027; an April survey found 94% of farmers concerned about war-linked production costs and nearly 40% describing themselves as "persuadable" in midterms
- DNI Jay Clayton is the only other top Trump official with significant fossil fuel holdings, carrying up to $320,000 in oil and gas stocks as of end of 2025 per a Climate Power analysis
Why it matters: Farmers who voted overwhelmingly for Trump in 2024 now face $63 billion in projected losses over 2026-2027 while the officials overseeing their relief hold oil-and-gas portfolios that profit from those same price spikes. With 40% of farmers calling themselves "persuadable" for midterms, the political cost of gutting farm renewables while protecting oil-linked wealth is becoming measurable.
Ask SkimNews
