The president, given the role's overall Constitutional authority over foreign affairs, controls development of cross-border energy infrastructure projects by issuing, revoking, revising, suspending and/or transferring "presidential permits." The permits authorize construction and operation of oil pipelines, natural gas pipelines and electrical transmission facilities and are issued through designated executive-branch departments and agencies.
President Donald Trump in March 2019 issued a new permit authorizing construction and operation of the Keystone pipeline between Canada and the U.S., following a series of reviews that began in 2010 during the Obama administration and continued through multiple court challenges. The administration also made some changes governing similar procedures in the future.