Trump Fighting for Bigger Gas Market Share

President Donald Trump’s threat to sanction Russia’s controversial new natural gas pipeline into Europe is an indication that competition to supply the fuel is heating up.
Blocking the Nord Stream 2 link under the Baltic Sea would be a blow to Russia, keeping it dependent on Ukraine as a gas export corridor at a time those two nations are locked in a dispute over the fuel transit, Bloomberg reported. 
Trump also is seeking to carve out market share for liquefied natural gas shipments from the US Gulf Coast, which is growing rapidly after making its first overseas deliveries in 2016.
The winners so far are European energy consumers, who are enjoying some of the lowest gas prices in three years. 
While Trump and officials in his administration have spent months threatening sanctions without delivering any specifics, keeping that risk in the public eye is likely to complicate efforts by Russia’s gas pipeline company Gazprom PJSC to complete the link on schedule by the end of this year.
“Although Gazprom has said that US sanctions would not impact its ability to finance the project, the company will face challenges in tapping global debt markets,” said Leslie Palti-Guzman, president of the GasVista LLC energy consultant in New York.
Trump framed the issue as one for Germany, adding to tensions that span a number of issues ranging from trade to security and immigration. 
The US is concerned that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government is not putting enough money into defense of the region against threats including Russia and that Nord Stream 2 will ensure funds go to Vladimir Putin’s government in Moscow.
“I say, 'How can you do that?'” Trump said at the White House in Washington on Wednesday night. “We are protecting Germany from Russia. And Russia is getting billions and billions of dollars of money from Germany.”
Trump’s suggestion is that Germany should buy American gas.