“Restoring American Energy Dominance” isn’t some slogan cooked up in a campaign war room or dreamt up by a pollster trying to win the suburbs. It’s a plain-spoken promise from an administration that is interested in doing exactly what it said it would do.

Under President Trump, this government is working overtime to produce more energy, bringing down costs for Americans.

This Memorial Day, for the first time in over four years, a record number of Americans will hit the road without needing to remortgage their homes just to fill up their tank. Imagine that — traveling without the side hustle of multiple jobs to afford gas. Inflation? Under control. Energy costs? Not trying to mug you in broad daylight.

In just a little over 100 days, Trump has jumpstarted an energy revival that is delivering results. At the Department of the Interior, Secretary Doug Burgum didn’t just show up to the office — he rolled up his sleeves and told bureaucracy to take a seat. The goal? To make life less wallet-crushing, from the pump to the pantry.

Compared to this time last year, gas is down almost 14 percent. Compared to the peak of the previous administration’s “don’t believe your eyes” approach, prices have dropped 36 percent.

That’s not spin—that’s more steaks on the grill and fewer tears at the pump.

Lower energy costs under Trump are flowing through America’s supply chains, dragging down the price of everyday goods. The Consumer Price Index isn’t just improving—it’s shattering expectations. For three straight months, inflation rates and prices have fallen.

Grocery prices? Falling. Gas prices? Falling. Egg prices? Falling. And real wages? Going up. That’s real purchasing power.

Plus, flights, hotels, used cars, and energy bills are all heading in the right direction: down —finally giving Americans a break from the economic whiplash of the last few years and letting families breathe a little easier, plan a little further ahead, and maybe even save without feeling like it’s a luxury.

And it turns out, when Americans can afford to live a little, they do. AAA says that more than 45 million people are traveling this Memorial Day weekend — breaking a two-decade-old record. It turns out that affordable gas makes for a pretty good economic stimulus.

Real energy independence also means less reliance on foreign regimes and more money staying right here at home. It’s not just smart policy—it’s common sense, finally making a comeback.

At the Department of the Interior, we see this as just the beginning. Since Trump’s second inauguration, we have held new energy lease sales across the West — New Mexico, Wyoming, Nevada, Montana, and both Dakotas. We’ve pulled in nearly $39 million from leasing more than 5,000 acres. Burgum has even flipped the “Closed” sign on the Gulf of America. That’s right — the Gulf is open for business, and in the next decade we’re looking at 100,000 more barrels of oil per day. That’s not a typo — it’s a pipeline to prosperity.

Burgum gets it: American energy is the key to economic sanity. It powers growth, slashes costs, and—bonus—helps us whittle down the deficit. Rather than burying innovation under mountains of red tape, Burgum and this administration are choosing to empower it. The Department of the Interior is committed to expanding American energy — not recklessly, but smartly, efficiently, and unapologetically.

So as this administration works to unleash the full might of American energy, rest assured: we’re not just making noise — we’re making it cheaper to live in this country again. And no, you’re not dreaming. That sizzle you hear this Summer? It’s burgers, not your credit card melting.

Matthew Middleton is deputy communications director and director of research in the office of the Secretary of the Interior.