Vance Announces Defense Production Act Use to Expand Texas Refinery for More Fuel

Vice President JD Vance announced Tuesday that the Trump administration has used the Defense Production Act to expand refining capacity at a Delek US Holdings facility in Tyler, Texas. Speaking at a campaign stop for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Vance said the move would produce millions of gallons of commercial-grade and military-specification fuel beyond the plant’s current output.

“I am pleased to announce that the Trump administration working with the refinery at Delek has used the Defense Production Act and we are gonna expand the refinery right here in Tyler, Texas,” Vance said. “We want millions of gallons of commercial grade and military spec fuel to come out of this refinery in addition to what it’s already producing.” He added that the expansion would mean lower costs for driving and flying and a more reliable energy supply.

The Tyler refinery currently processes about 74,000 barrels per day, according to Reuters. Delek operates four U.S. refineries with combined capacity of roughly 302,000 barrels per day. The White House and Delek have not released details on the size of the capacity increase, the amount of any federal funding, or a construction timeline.

The announcement comes as the administration continues steps aimed at domestic fuel supply. Trump recently discussed a diesel arrangement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and officials have previously invoked the Defense Production Act for other energy projects. The 1950 law gives the president authority to prioritize production of materials deemed necessary for national security.

Vance made the remarks in Tyler while supporting Paxton in a competitive Senate race against Democrat James Talarico. Just the News reported the announcement, noting the administration’s earlier use of the same authority for munitions production.