Trump Invokes Cold War-Era Law to Boost Oil Refining as Gas Prices Soar
Published . Updated .
President Donald Trump has invoked a Cold War-era defense law to direct up to $150 million toward U.S. oil refineries as gasoline prices climb above $4 a gallon and diesel exceeds $6. The October 22 action allows the federal government to support refinery expansion and petroleum
Directly affected
- No company is named in this report.
Indirectly affected
- LMT Lockheed Martin+11.5%
Defense contractors get more work when conflict spending rises
- RTX RTX-0.4%
Defense contractors get more work when conflict spending rises
- NOC Northrop Grumman+5.3%
Defense contractors get more work when conflict spending rises
- GD General Dynamics-1.7%
Defense contractors get more work when conflict spending rises
- XOM Exxon Mobil+7.9%
Oil producers earn more when crude prices rise
- CVX Chevron+5.9%
Oil producers earn more when crude prices rise
- ITA iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense-6.7%
A fund of aerospace and defense companies
- BA Boeing-10.9%
Defense and aerospace orders move with conflict spending
- LHX L3Harris+2.1%
Defense contractors get more work when conflict spending rises
- HII Huntington Ingalls
Shipyards benefit when naval spending rises
Price reaction, T-5 to T+3
| Ticker | T-5 | T-3 | T-1 | T0 | T+1 | T+2 | T+3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LMT | -9.31% | -8.71% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| RTX | +0.57% | +0.33% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| NOC | -7.45% | -2.17% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| GD | -2.30% | -1.30% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| XOM | -2.72% | -2.80% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| CVX | -3.75% | -2.77% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| ITA | +2.64% | +1.68% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| BA | +1.64% | +2.12% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| LHX | -3.97% | -2.45% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
| HII | -1.72% | -0.04% | base | after close | after close | after close | after close |
Closing-price change versus T-1, the last close before the story. T0 to T+3 fill in after each market close. Prices: Alpaca IEX.
Market Call
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Trump Invokes Cold War-Era Law to Boost Oil Refining as Gas Prices Soar Law Commentary
Source: Law Commentary
Energy
| Company | When | Move | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| BA | three days earlier | +2.12% | final price |
| BA | five days earlier | +1.64% | final price |
| CVX | three days earlier | -2.77% | final price |
| CVX | five days earlier | -3.75% | final price |
| GD | three days earlier | -1.30% | final price |
| GD | five days earlier | -2.30% | final price |
| HII | three days earlier | -0.04% | final price |
| HII | five days earlier | -1.72% | final price |
| ITA | three days earlier | +1.68% | final price |
| ITA | five days earlier | +2.64% | final price |
| LHX | three days earlier | -2.45% | final price |
| LHX | five days earlier | -3.97% | final price |
| LMT | three days earlier | -8.71% | final price |
| LMT | five days earlier | -9.31% | final price |
| NOC | three days earlier | -2.17% | final price |
| NOC | five days earlier | -7.45% | final price |
| RTX | three days earlier | +0.33% | final price |
| RTX | five days earlier | +0.57% | final price |
| XOM | three days earlier | -2.80% | final price |
| XOM | five days earlier | -2.72% | final price |
Trades by members of Congress and officials in the stocks in this story
- Rep. Kevin Hern sold Lockheed Martin (LMT) (jointly held), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 23 Sep 2026. That is 31 days before publication. Filed 13 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Kevin Hern sold Lockheed Martin (LMT) (jointly held), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 23 Sep 2026. That is 31 days before publication. Filed 13 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Kevin Hern sold Lockheed Martin (LMT) (jointly held), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 17 Sep 2026. That is 37 days before publication. Filed 13 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Kevin Hern sold ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM) (jointly held), worth $100,001 - $250,000 on 31 Aug 2026. That is 54 days before publication. Filed 25 Sep 2026. View the filing.
- Donald J Trump, an executive branch official, bought ExxonMobil Holdings (XOM), worth $250,001 - $500,000 on 31 Jul 2026. That is 85 days before publication. Filed 22 Sep 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Kevin Hern sold Chevron (CVX) (jointly held), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 23 Sep 2026. That is 31 days before publication. Filed 13 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar bought Chevron (CVX), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 2 Sep 2026. That is 52 days before publication. Filed 7 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Donald J Trump, an executive branch official, sold Chevron (CVX), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 31 Jul 2026. That is 85 days before publication. Filed 22 Sep 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar sold Boeing (BA), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 24 Sep 2026. That is 30 days before publication. Filed 7 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Kevin Hern sold Boeing (BA) (jointly held), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 13 Aug 2026. That is 72 days before publication. Filed 1 Sep 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Kevin Hern sold Boeing (BA) (jointly held), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 13 Aug 2026. That is 72 days before publication. Filed 1 Sep 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Richard Dean McCormick sold L3Harris Technologies (LHX), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 30 Jul 2026. That is 86 days before publication. Filed 14 Aug 2026. View the filing.
Public disclosure filings, not a recommendation. The filing link is the source document. News use of these reports still sits under 5 U.S.C. § 13107(c).
How solid the energy case looks
12 out of 100
“Trump Invokes Cold War-Era Law to Boost Oil Refining as Gas Prices Soar” scores 12 out of 100. The score uses 1 sources.