California has sued the Trump administration to block approval for restarting an oil pipeline left idle since a 2015 spill, arguing the project operator, Sable Offshore, has not met safety and environmental requirements. Reporting indicates investor pressure — including messages linked to Phil Mickelson — sought intervention from Washington officials. The administration's approval followed an executive order declaring a "national energy emergency," which critics say weakens state-level protections. Attorney General Rob Bonta accused the administration of favoring the oil industry as the state moves to defend its environmental safeguards.
California Sues To Block Restart Of Oil Pipeline, Accusing Trump Administration Of Favoring Industry
The state of California has filed a lawsuit aimed at blocking the Trump administration's approval to restart an oil pipeline project that has been idle since a major spill in 2015. State officials argue the project — led by Texas-based Sable Offshore — has not met required safety and environmental standards, and that federal action threatens protections intended to safeguard public health and local ecosystems.
Background
Sable Offshore is reported to count professional golfer Phil Mickelson among its investors. California regulators say the company has not implemented the necessary safety measures to resume operations following the 2015 accident. Last year, President Trump issued an executive order declaring a "national energy emergency," and the administration subsequently indicated it would allow Sable to proceed — a move critics say weakens certain state-level environmental safeguards.
Reporting On Investor Pressure
Reporter Sam Koppelman told podcast host Pablo Torre that Sable investors pressured Washington for intervention. Koppelman said he obtained access to a group chat that included Mickelson and other investors and described a lurid text message he attributed to Mickelson referring to the potential boost in the company's value if "Big daddy" Trump intervened. Reporting also suggested investors sought assistance from influential figures in business and politics to push the project forward.
Rob Bonta, attorney general of California, outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Nov. 5, 2025.(Eric Lee / Bloomberg via Getty Images)
California's Case And Political Response
California Attorney General Rob Bonta framed the lawsuit as a response to what he described as the administration's deference to the oil industry. At a news conference announcing the suit, Bonta criticized the federal action and accused the company of appealing directly to the White House rather than following state and local regulatory processes.
"Sable doesn’t like how the process is going, or the lawsuits that have piled up from local and state authorities, so Sable went crying to Trump," Bonta said. "Sable said: 'Jump.' And Trump said: 'How high?'"
Neither the Trump administration nor Sable Offshore immediately responded to MS NOW's request for comment on California's lawsuit. The state says its legal action centers on the contention that federal approvals enabling Sable to resume work would undercut state environmental and public health protections put in place after the 2015 spill.
What Happens Next
The litigation will determine whether federal authority can override state concerns in this case and whether the project can move forward while lawsuits and permit disputes remain unresolved. Observers say the case could set a precedent for how federal energy priorities interact with state environmental safeguards going forward.
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