Donald Trump has taken credit after Exxon Mobil unveiled plans to spend $20bn in the Gulf Coast
Exxon Mobil has said it will invest $20bn (£16bn) over a 10-year period to expand its presence in the US Gulf Coast – and Donald Trump has taken credit.
Following the announcement, a White House issued statement appeared to copy an entire paragraph from the oil firm's press release.
Last night the world's largest listed energy company said it will create thousands of new jobs at 11 proposed and existing sites to "take advantage of the American energy revolution", as Darren Woods, chairman and chief executive, put it in a speech at the CeraWeek conference.
The firm is investing in new refining and manufacturing projects in the region to strengthen its export capacity towards Asia and elsewhere. Starting in 2013, the investments are expected to continue to at least 2022.
Read more: DCC's shares spike after new energy acquisition announced
"These projects are export machines, generating products that high-growth nations need to support larger populations with higher standards of living," Woods said.
"Those overseas markets are the motivation behind our investments. The supply is here; the demand is there. We want to keep connecting those dots."
Woods added the projects will provide long-term economic benefits to the regions in Texas and Louisiana, creating more than 45,000 jobs, many of which will average salaries of around $100,000 a year.
Read more: Exxon Mobil in talks with Chad over $74bn fine
Donald Trump paid tribute to Exxon Mobil for the investment on Twitter (despite the project beginning in 2013).
45,000 construction & manufacturing jobs in the U.S. Gulf Coast region. $20 billion investment. We are already winning again, America!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 6, 2017
Then he thanked it again.
Buy American & hire American are the principles at the core of my agenda, which is: JOBS, JOBS, JOBS! Thank you @exxonmobil.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 7, 2017
And again…
Thank you to @exxonmobil for your $20 billion investment that is creating more than 45,000 manufacturing & construction jobs in the USA!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 7, 2017
In the White House's statement, a Washington Post reporter noted the President's administration appeared to lift a paragraph from the oil firm's press release.
White House press release (left) contains full paragraph copied verbatim from Exxon press release (right). pic.twitter.com/NlhoUvdqvd
— Christopher Ingraham🦗 (@_cingraham) March 6, 2017
Trump's secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, was the boss of Exxon Mobil until December.