California’s Oil Capital Hopes for a Renaissance under Trump

Every five years, the fading town of Taft in California’s Kern County bursts back into life with its grand “Oildorado Festival,” a nostalgic celebration of the community’s golden age as the heart of California’s oil boom. The streets fill with cowboys on horseback, antique cars, and floats adorned with oil pumps — a vivid tribute to the rugged frontier spirit of the Wild West.

However, nine months into Donald Trump’s second term as President of the United States, the festival’s atmosphere has shifted from nostalgia to renewed optimism.

Trump’s administration has rejected climate concerns and embraced fossil fuel expansion, vowing to “unleash American energy” by dismantling environmental regulations and easing restrictions on domestic oil production. In Taft — a town of about 7,000 residents — many see this as a long-awaited revival for an industry once central to their livelihoods.

“I’m 100 percent satisfied with President Trump,” said Buddy Binkley, a retired Chevron maintenance supervisor. “He’s putting pressure on California to turn around its prejudice against oil.”

Binkley, wearing a red “Make Oil Great Again” cap — a twist on Trump’s famous campaign slogan — expressed hope that Trump’s leadership might restore the industry to its former strength.

“The oil industry in California is suffering due to political reasons,” he said. “But with Trump in power, I think it may go back the way it was.”

The Town Built on Oil

Taft was built directly atop California’s most extensive oil field. A giant wooden oil derrick dominates its skyline, a proud reminder of its identity. Oil revenues fund local services — from schools to emergency departments — making petroleum the lifeblood of the community.

During the Oildorado Festival, residents compete in contests such as best welder, crane operator, or backhoe loader, while others vie for the crown of “Oildorado Queen.”

Yet, beneath the pageantry, Taft’s fortunes have faded. Oil production in California has been declining since the 1980s, accelerated by the state’s commitment to phase out fossil fuels entirely by 2045. Many residents have already left for Texas, where the energy industry faces fewer restrictions.

Despite years of decline, optimism is resurfacing. Taft’s Mayor Dave Noerr expressed confidence in Trump’s approach:

“We have all the raw materials. We had the wrong direction. Now we have leadership that is going to unleash the possibilities.”

Locals have cheered Trump’s decisions to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, lift restrictions on federal land drilling, and grant major tax breaks to energy corporations. For a town struggling to maintain its identity, the policies offer hope of resurgence.

However, not everyone shares this optimism. Critics argue that Taft’s enthusiasm for oil overlooks the growing environmental risks faced by California.

Trump’s administration has cut funding for renewable energy, rolled back climate research, and sought to weaken the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority over greenhouse gas emissions.

Even as these policies unfold, California has suffered devastating climate impacts — including wildfires that killed 31 people earlier this year near Los Angeles, fuelled by 160 km/h (100 mph) winds. 

“If everyone around the world behaved like the US, the world would be on pace for four degrees of warming by 2100,” warned Paasha Mahdavi, a political scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

He added that agriculture — the largest employer in Kern County — would face severe consequences from droughts and heatwaves already afflicting the region.

Among the concerned residents is Taylor Pritchett, a 31-year-old dog groomer from Taft: “If I were to have a child, I wouldn’t want to raise them in Kern County. I’d like to go somewhere cleaner.”

While she recognises the town’s attachment to its oil roots, Pritchett believes it’s time to move on: “We need to get away from fossil fuels. But here in Taft, we’re stuck in the past a little bit — very unwilling to change.”

In Taft, the clash between tradition and transition is more than symbolic; it’s a struggle over the town’s future — whether to chase a revival rooted in oil, or to prepare for a world steadily turning away from it.