Billionaire “philanthropists” like the Rockefellers often claim to care about noble causes like the security of the United States’ European allies and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. But it turns out that a campaign targeting liquified natural gas (LNG) exports–which will cause harm to both of those causes–takes priority.

A recent Wall Street Journal article details how the Rockefellers, Michael Bloomberg, and other wealthy donors funneled millions to environmental groups protesting the buildout of new LNG facilities expected to export energy to Europe, Asia, and the rest of the world.

While this revelation surprised some—including respected energy commentators—there is little shock and awe to be had when you consider that these anti-fossil fuel billionaires have been behind campaigns such as Keystone XL opposition, fossil fuel divestment, natural gas stove bans, and climate litigation. Now they’re taking credit for President Biden’s dangerous pause on LNG export terminals? Checks out!

The WSJ story comes on the heels of the Biden administration’s recent decision to halt permits for new LNG terminals until their climate impacts can be studied further. For months prior to the decision, activists ramped up pressure on the president to make such a move, even garnering enthusiasm for the movement on TikTok.

Ultimately, the activists, led by familiar proponents of climate litigation such as Bill McKibben, convinced the White House to freeze LNG exports. A senior Biden administration official who described the activists’ efforts as “intense” admitted to the Wall Street Journal that the pressure campaign “got our attention.” Sarah Brennan, an associate director at the Rockefeller Family Fund (RFF), also attributed the pause to activist efforts:

“The pause…is the result of a sustained four-year push that built upon years of opposition to gas exports by community groups and lawyers. … The White House recognized the power [of] this campaign.”

But as is similar to other Rockefeller campaigns, the decision satisfies climate activists but fails in the real world. President Biden’s decision was met with fierce blowback from members of his own party, including Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA), and Chris Coons (D-DE); Congresswoman Caraveo (D-CO); and numerous other Democrats.

Rockefeller Plan To Ban LNG Started Years Ago

The plot to halt natural gas exports was years in the making. Six years ago, Larry Shapiro, the Associate Director for Program Development at Rockefeller Family Fund, “spearheaded”  the Funder Collaborative on Oil and Gas, with support from donors including Bloomberg Philanthropies:

“In 2018, the Rockefeller Family Fund … launched an initiative called the Funder Collaborative on Oil and Gas to call attention to the U.S.’s status as an oil-and-gas juggernaut and encourage green funders to do more.

“Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City and founder of his eponymous company, has put money into green causes for years, and his Bloomberg Philanthropies has contributed to the initiative.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, a year later, the Collaborative “circulated a memo … to nongovernmental organizations to assess interest in a broad campaign to take on the LNG industry.” After “dispatching scouts to the Gulf Coast,” the donors selected frontline groups to receive immense donations and lead a public campaign against the industry. With their newfound resources, the groups led lobbying, public protest, and social media efforts that ultimately led the president to give into their demands.

In the fall of 2023, the activist movement began to garner significant momentum. After a series of public protests, CP2, a planned LNG facility in Louisiana, became “a hashtag on TikTok as Gen Z climate activists lambasted the project.” Bill McKibben admittedly helped “rally climate groups” and had multiple conversations with Biden officials regarding natural gas exports.

Progressive Democratic Senators such as Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) also engaged with the Rockefeller-backed organization to then “personally” lobby John Podesta, a senior climate advisor to President Biden, on the issue.

Same Ol’ Playbook

Both the actors and the strategy behind the anti-LNG campaign are reminiscent of the Rockefellers’ decade-long effort to reshape the public’s view on fossil fuels, with an ultimate goal of banning American energy production.

Through litigation, divestment campaigns, a war on natural gas stoves, and incitement of public protests, the Rockefellers have attacked the industry from every angle. In fact, the Rockefellers use similar tactics in each of their campaigns such as lobbying elected officials, paying for “scientific” studies, garnering media attention through funded news desks, and funding activist demonstrations.

For example, over the last two years the Rockefellers funded a series of biased, flawed studies intended to support climate litigation efforts, natural gas stove bans, and Biden’s LNG pause. The oil baron-descendants also fund groups that specialize in “grassroots” activism such as The Equation Campaign and 350.org to block energy infrastructure projects, like the Keystone XL pipeline. The Rockefellers also fund nonprofits that support, and lobby for, lawsuits that target governments, project developers, and energy companies – all with the goal of stopping fossil fuel production.

Bottom line: These separate but related efforts from the Rockefellers and their deep pocketed friends underscore the fact that the goal of the litigation campaign isn’t corporate accountability or solving climate change, but destroying the energy industry writ large through multi-faceted campaigns funded and echoed by the same players using the same playbook.