--- description: The Department of Energy referred to natural gas as "freedom gas" and "molecules of U.S. freedom" in a press release. title: 'Freedom Gas?' 'Molecules of U.S. Freedom?' Trump's Energy Department Unveils New Nicknames for Natural Gas image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt29799d8514d58633/69894a8adb29878cb5262630/natural-gas.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Politics](/section/politics/) ## Politics Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Environment](/tag/environment/) ## Environment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 'Freedom Gas?' 'Molecules of U.S. Freedom?' Trump's Energy Department Unveils New Nicknames for Natural Gas ## Video: President Trump Highlighted His 'America First Energy Policy' During Louisiana Trip [Watch (HLS stream): President Trump Highlighted His 'America First Energy Policy' During Louisiana Trip](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/3cjXz1Mq.m3u8) (0:53)  _Published 2019-05-14. President Donald Trump showcased his “America First energy policy” on Tuesday during a trip to Louisiana designed to highlight his administration’s efforts to increase liquefied natural gas exports and boost the country’s energy infrastructure._  by [Tara Law](/author/tara-law/)  ## Tara Law Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 29, 2019 8:28 PM CUT  Smoke rises from a natural gas power plant into the sky outside of Dallas, Texas, United States on Jan. 04, 2018. Smoke rises from a natural gas power plant into the sky outside of Dallas, Texas, United States on Jan. 04, 2018.Anadolu Agency—Getty Images  by [Tara Law](/author/tara-law/)  ## Tara Law Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 29, 2019 8:28 PM CUT The Department of Energy appears to have a surprising new nickname for natural gas: “freedom gas.” The unexpected new moniker made its debut in a [press release](https://www.energy.gov/articles/department-energy-authorizes-additional-lng-exports-freeport-lng "undefined") issued Tuesday to announce the approval of additional liquified natural gas (LNG) exports from a terminal on Quintana Island, Texas. It also included the term “molecules of U.S. freedom.” Under Secretary of Energy Mark W. Menezes unveiled the term “freedom gas” in the release, which notes that he highlighted the approval at the Clean Energy Ministerial in Vancouver, Canada. “Increasing export capacity from the Freeport LNG project is critical to spreading freedom gas throughout the world by giving America’s allies a diverse and affordable source of clean energy,” he said. Later in the release, Steven Winberg, the assistant secretary for fossil energy, said the department is promoting an efficient regulatory system to enable “molecules of U.S. freedom to be exported to the world.” Energy Secretary Rick Perry, a former Texas governor, has equated natural gas with “freedom” in the past. In January 2018, Perry told Fox Business that giving allies access to energy choices is a “priceless” kind of freedom. “The United States is not just exporting energy, we’re exporting freedom,” [Perry said](https://video.foxbusiness.com/v/5718318851001/#sp=show-clips "undefined"). One of the first people to have called the export “freedom gas” appears to have been a European journalist from the platform [Euractiv](https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/freedom-gas-us-opens-lng-floodgates-to-europe/ "undefined"). While the Perry was visiting Brussels in April, the journalist asked if “freedom gas” was an accurate description. Perry agreed, saying that the U.S. is “again delivering a form of freedom” to Europe. “And rather than in the form of young American soldiers, it’s in the form of liquefied natural gas.” New technologies, including the process known as fracking, have enabled [an increase](https://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/hist/n9070us2m.htm "undefined") in natural gas production. The industry has won praise as a job-creation engine, and for providing a cheap energy source that produces less atmosphere-damaging carbon dioxide than coal. However, scientists warn that natural gas emits a significant amount of [methane](http://time.com/5318980/natural-gas-climate-change-methane/ "undefined") — a gas that contributes to global warming. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5597784/freedom-gas-energy-department/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5597784/freedom-gas-energy-department/"},"headline":"'Freedom Gas?' 'Molecules of U.S. Freedom?' 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