Trump administration officials are exempting oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico from the Endangered Species Act. The exemption was requested by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who cited lawsuits from environmental groups as a threat to the nation's energy production. Critics say Tuesday's move could doom Gulf populations of endangered Rice's whales. It comes amid global oil shocks and soaring energy prices brought on by the U.S.-Iran war. The Gulf of Mexico is one of the top oil-producing regions in the U.S. Republican President Donald Trump has made increased fossil fuel production a central focus of his second term.