Have you ever wondered how a pine cone knows when to open and close? It's not magic, it's science. 

Now, researchers have taken this cue from nature to create something pretty cool for our homes. 

Let's dive into how this revolutionary window technology works, keeping your home comfortable without using a single watt of electricity.

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Pine cones have these amazing scales that respond to moisture. When it's damp, they close up tight. But when it's warm and dry, they open wide to release their seeds. This simple yet effective mechanism has inspired scientists to develop a smart window system that could change the way we think about energy efficiency in buildings.

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Scientists from Germany's universities of Stuttgart and Freiburg have developed what is known as the Solar Gate window facade system. It's like having tiny pinecones built right into your windows. These smart windows have special elements that curl up when it's cool and moist, letting in sunlight to warm your home. But when it's hot and dry, they flatten out to block the sun and keep things cool inside.

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The Solar Gate system consists of a gridded array of pine-cone-scale-inspired self-bending elements housed between two panes of glass in an aluminum-frame window unit. Each element is ingeniously crafted with three distinct layers, each serving a unique purpose. The bottom layer is composed of a cellulose powder and a thermoplastic blend that swells when exposed to moisture. Above this lies a middle layer made of thermoplastic, which remains unaffected by moisture.

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The top layer consists of flexible biocomposite filaments that serve to hold the entire structure together. When exposed to moist air, the bottom layer expands, causing the element to curl upwards. Conversely, in dry conditions, it returns to its flattened state. This simple yet effective mechanism allows the window to respond automatically to changing weather conditions, providing optimal shading and light penetration as needed.

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The Solar Gate system underwent rigorous real-world testing to prove its effectiveness. In a comprehensive year-long study, researchers installed 424 Solar Gate elements in the south-facing skylight of a research building at the University of Freiburg. The results of this extensive trial were nothing short of impressive.

During the cool, wet winter months, the elements responded by curling upwards, allowing ample sunlight to penetrate the building. This natural response effectively warmed and illuminated the interior spaces, reducing the need for artificial heating and lighting. Conversely, as the seasons changed and brought warmer, drier summer conditions, the elements automatically flattened out.

This flattening action served to block excess sunlight, effectively keeping the building's interior cool and comfortable without the need for energy-intensive air conditioning. The test demonstrated the system's ability to autonomously adapt to changing weather conditions, providing optimal comfort and energy efficiency throughout the year.

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This innovative approach to building technology has far-reaching implications beyond just window systems. Researchers have already begun exploring similar biomimetic principles in a variety of applications. For instance, studies have investigated the development of shading systems using wooden slats that can open and close in response to environmental conditions.

In the realm of textiles, scientists are working on "smart" clothing fabrics that can adapt to ambient temperature, providing optimal comfort for wearers. Perhaps most intriguingly, these principles are even being applied to the field of robotics, with researchers developing tiny mobile robots that can respond to environmental stimuli in ways inspired by natural mechanisms. As we continue to draw inspiration from nature's ingenious designs, the potential for creating more sustainable and responsive technologies seems boundless.

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Nature never ceases to amaze us with its ingenious solutions, and the Solar Gate window system is a brilliant example of how we can harness these natural wonders. By mimicking the pinecone, scientists have created a game-changing technology that could revolutionize how we approach energy efficiency in our buildings. It's exciting to think about a future where our homes and offices adapt to the environment just like living organisms do. Who knew that the key to smarter buildings was hiding in our forests all along?

Would you feel comfortable having windows that automatically open and close based on moisture and temperature — without any electrical controls? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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FIRST ON FOX: One of the top Republican lawmakers in the key swing state of Arizona has sent a letter to President Donald Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requesting that the administration "prevent California from dictating the country’s energy policy."

"California’s radical rules will harm Arizona families by increasing costs, impacting jobs, and limiting consumer choice," Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen said in a letter to the EPA. "By taking swift action, EPA can reverse the Biden Administration’s erroneous approval of California’s extreme rules."

In the letter, Petersen praised Trump’s reversal of burdensome regulations thus far, saying that his executive orders, including rolling back the EV mandate, are "important energy steps that will help usher in America’s Golden Age."

However, Petersen warned in his letter that California environmental waivers and regulations create a ripple effect that harms other places in the country, including Arizona.

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"Victims of California’s war on fossil fuels include Arizonans who conduct business or make purchases in California," Petersen wrote. "California’s radical rules also will indirectly affect Arizonans by increasing the cost, and decreasing the availability, of vehicles and products. Even Governor Katie Hobbs has been forced to recognize that California’s extreme policies can negatively impact Arizonans."

"California’s radical rules raise serious legal concerns relating to equal state sovereignty19 and the major "questions doctrine, among many others. EPA should take immediate action to remove these legal concerns, starting by submitting the approvals for California’s rules to Congress for evaluation under the Congressional Review Act," he continued. "According to legal experts, ‘Congress can quickly disapprove the waivers and send a resolution to the White House for presidential signature. Ballgame over.' As those experts note, Congressional Review Act decisions are final and unassailable in court because the Act expressly provides that ‘[n]o determination, finding, action, or omission under this chapter shall be subject to judicial review.’"

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Petersen's letter continued, "Like it did during President Trump’s first administration, EPA also should revoke California’s ability to independently regulate greenhouse gases."

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Petersen said, "Over the past four years, the State of California and the Biden Administration teamed up to impose a radical environmental agenda on the United States, compromising our energy independence, crushing freedom of choice, and endangering our national security."

"I, like many of my fellow Arizonans and Americans, am thrilled to see the Trump Administration putting an end to these schemes. The State of Arizona looks forward to assisting our new president, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and Members of Congress in their efforts to prioritize and protect our country's interests," he said.

Petersen, who has filed paperwork to run for attorney general in Arizona, also sent a letter to Arizona's congressional delegation voicing the same concerns.

"As President of the Arizona State Senate, I write to urge you to block radical California rules that ban gas-powered cars and leaf blowers," he wrote. 

"These policies will harm Arizona families by increasing costs, impacting jobs, and limiting consumer choice. The Congressional Review Act empowers you to reverse the Biden Administration’s last-minute approval of these extreme policies, which I encourage you to do."

Deep Robotics, a Chinese robotics firm, recently unveiled its latest innovation in quadruped robotics, the Lynx. 

This impressive robot dog combines the agility of legs with the speed of wheels, showcasing its exceptional flexibility. 

Emerging from Hangzhou's cutting-edge robotics landscape, the Lynx is pushing the boundaries of what autonomous mobile robots can achieve. With its groundbreaking design, the robot promises to revolutionize how we think about robotic mobility and terrain navigation.

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 A dance of versatility

The Lynx demonstrates its remarkable capabilities by performing a series of jaw-dropping maneuvers. From dancing and gliding across ice to powering through deep snow and even executing leaps and flips, this mid-sized quadruped on wheels proves its unmatched adaptability to various terrains.

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What sets the Lynx apart is its unique wheeled-leg hybrid design. This innovative construction allows the robot to lock its wheels, enabling it to switch seamlessly between walking and climbing like a standard four-legged robot. This dual-mode locomotion combines the speed and efficiency of wheeled systems with the versatility of walking robots, making it ideal for navigating uneven and rugged surfaces.

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The Lynx features an extraordinary range of capabilities that set it apart in the world of quadruped robotics. Its remarkable leg design allows it to climb impressive 8.7-inch steps and confidently navigate challenging 45-degree slopes with unparalleled stability and precision.

The robot features a robust IP54 protection rating, which means it can operate effectively in virtually any weather condition, from dusty construction sites to wet outdoor environments. Engineers have designed the Lynx with practical functionality in mind, ensuring it can withstand harsh external conditions without compromising performance.

Battery performance is another standout feature, with a solid three-hour operational time and innovative hot-swappable battery technology. This means users can quickly swap batteries in the field, extending mission duration and reducing potential downtime during critical operations.

High-performance video transmission ensures operators receive crystal-clear, real-time visual feedback, allowing for precise remote navigation and monitoring. The intuitive user interface further enhances the user experience, making complex robotic control feel surprisingly straightforward and accessible.

Priced at $17,999, the Lynx represents a significant but justifiable investment in cutting-edge robotic technology, offering capabilities that could transform how we approach challenging terrain and complex operational scenarios.

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The Lynx is part of Deep Robotics' "AI+" initiative, which is building on the company's expertise in legged robotics. It joins a lineup of innovative quadrupeds, including the Lite3, X20 and X30, each designed for specific applications ranging from emergency rescue to scientific exploration in hazardous environments.

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The Lynx combines the best of both wheeled and legged locomotion. Its ability to navigate complex terrains with ease opens up new possibilities for applications in search and rescue, industrial inspection and scientific research. As AI continues to advance, we can expect even more impressive capabilities from future iterations of these robotic dogs.

So, what's your gut reaction? Are these robot dogs the most impressive technological breakthrough you've seen recently, or do they make you feel just a little bit unsettled? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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Chris Wright, President-elect Trump's nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Energy, is planning to tell senators in charge of his confirmation that he will focus on restoring American "energy dominance" at home and abroad. 

Wright, a fossil fuel executive who in the past has been critical of the media blaming climate change for repeated wildfires, is expected to deliver his opening statement before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday morning. Fox News Digital obtained a copy of the statement in advance ahead of the hearing scheduled to start at 10 a.m. ET.

"I am humbled by the great responsibility this position holds," Wright is expected to say in his opening statement. "America has a historic opportunity to secure our energy systems, deliver leadership in scientific and technological innovation, steward our weapons stockpiles, and meet Cold War legacy waste commitments." 

Describing himself as a "science geek, turned tech nerd, turned lifelong energy entrepreneur," Wright will tell the committee how his "fascination with energy started at a young age in Denver, Colorado." His opening statement discusses how he enrolled at MIT "specifically to work on fusion energy" and later started graduate school at the University of California at Berkeley where he worked "on solar energy as well as power electronics."

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"Energy is the essential agent of change that enables everything that we do. A low energy society is poor. A highly energized society can bring health, wealth, and opportunity for all," Wright will say. "The stated mission of the company that I founded – Liberty Energy – is to better human lives through energy. Liberty works directly in oil, natural gas, next generation geothermal and has partnerships in next-generation nuclear energy and new battery technology." 

"Energy has been a lifelong passion of mine, and I have never been shy about that fact," Wright plans to tell the committee. "Then again, I have never been shy about much. President Trump shares my passion for energy and, if confirmed, I will work tirelessly to implement his bold agenda as an unabashed steward for all sources of affordable, reliable and secure American energy."

On Tuesday, committee Democrats led by Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico called for Wright's confirmation hearing to be delayed by at least a week, citing how they had not yet received "the standard financial disclosure report, ethics agreement, or the opinions from the designated agency ethics officer and the Office of Government Ethics stating that the nominee is in compliance with the ethics laws." 

Chairman Mike Lee, R-Utah, has already pushed back the confirmation hearing for Doug Burgum, Trump's pick for interior secretary, by two days until Thursday due to an OGE paperwork delay, but Wright's remained on the schedule Wednesday. 

If approved as secretary, Wright would manage energy policy and production in the United States, as well as the nation's nuclear weapon stockpile. He would also work with Burgum on the National Energy Council, where they would develop Trump's energy dominance policy involving increased production of U.S. oil and gas.

Wright has indicated that he plans to resign as CEO and chairman of his fracking company, Liberty Energy, if approved.

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In his opening statement, Wright identifies three "immediate" tasks that he would focus his attention on if confirmed.

"The first is to unleash American energy at home and abroad to restore energy dominance," Wright will say. "The security of our nation begins with energy. Previous administrations have viewed energy as a liability instead of the immense national asset that it is. To compete globally, we must expand energy production, including commercial nuclear and liquified natural gas, and cut the cost of energy." 

"Second, we must lead the world in innovation and technology breakthroughs," the statement continues. "Throughout my lifetime, technology and innovation have immeasurably enhanced the human condition. We must protect and accelerate the work of the Department’s national laboratory network to secure America’s competitive edge and its security. I commit to working with Congress on the important missions of the national laboratories." 

"Third, we must build things in America again and remove barriers to progress," Wright will say. "Federal policies today make it too easy to stop projects and very hard to start and complete projects. This makes energy more expensive and less reliable. President Trump is committed to lowering energy costs and to do so, we must prioritize cutting red tape, enabling private sector investments, and building the infrastructure we need to make energy more affordable for families and businesses." 

President Biden’s 11th-hour executive action banning new drilling and further oil and natural gas development in coastal waters in the name of protecting the environment could end up causing harm to the environment, according to experts who spoke to Fox News Digital.

Earlier this month, Biden announced the ban will affect more than 625 million acres of U.S. coastal and offshore waters while invoking the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which could mean President-elect Donald Trump will be limited in his ability to revoke the action without Congress.

Biden released a statement defending his action, arguing that the "relatively minimal fossil fuel potential in the areas I am withdrawing do not justify the environmental, public health, and economic risks that would come from new leasing and drilling."

Experts who spoke to Fox News Digital suggested that the environment could ultimately end up being harmed, not helped, by Biden’s decision. 

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"President Biden's offshore oil and gas ban is not only harmful to our economy and national security, but also jeopardizes the future of conservation in America," Gabriella Hoffman, Independent Women’s Forum Center for Energy & Conservation director, told Fox News Digital. 

Hoffman pointed to, among other concerns, the Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which is funded in large part by $900 million in royalties from oil and gas companies.

"It was a simple idea: use revenues from the depletion of one natural resource - offshore oil and gas - to support the conservation of another precious resource - our land and water," the fund’s website states. That fund will presumably lose out on those royalties as a result of Biden’s decision, Hoffman warned. 

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"President Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law in 2020 to permanently fund the LWCF," Hoffman said. "Biden's recent actions will weaken this law and set back true conservation efforts by decades."

The Western Energy Alliance, a nonprofit trade association, issued a press release earlier this month warning that conservation funding will take a hit as a result of Biden’s drilling ban. 

"By attempting to restrict offshore access before walking out the door, President Biden also threatens treasured outdoor spaces across the country. The president completely ignores the fact that the Land and Water Conservation Fund is exclusively funded by offshore oil and natural gas leasing and production," Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Alliance, said in the press release. 

"Nearly every community nationwide has a park or outdoor recreation facility that has received funding from the LWCF. National parks that have struggled with dilapidation and damages from overcrowding similarly benefit from offshore revenues. These funds help protect water ways, support wildlife, and build trails and playgrounds. President Biden put the future of these projects at risk with his Executive Order."

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for the Department of the Interior, who oversees the LWCF, said, "There would be no effect to any existing leases (or royalties derived from them for the U.S. treasury), nor the LWCF."

The spokesperson added, "The Central and Western Gulf, where funding from LCWF comes from, is not impacted by the President’s withdrawal."

Hoffman told Fox News Digital that Biden's directive, "won't impact LWCF in the short-term, with Trump-era leasing grandfathered in, the long-term impact could put $2.8B of conservation funding- including $900M from offshore royalties - at risk."

Additionally, cutting oil drilling in the United States is likely to drive the United States to become more dependent on foreign sources of oil, often in countries with less environmental protections than those that exist in the United States. 

"Biden's anti-oil and gas decree could undermine president-elect Trump's 'drill baby drill' agenda and make us more dependent on imports from foreign countries that don't respect the environment," Hoffman told Fox News Digital. 

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Power The Future founder and Executive Director Daniel Turner echoed the concerns about the environment as well as human rights to Fox News Digital. 

"We are driving responsible, ethical, environmentally sensitive resource development out of America and into developing nations, often managed by communist China, where pollution and slave labor are unchecked and accepted," Turner said. "In fact, oftentimes those conditions help with profit margins, and we say ‘these goods are cheaper made in China.’ They are cheaper because of what China does, and our standards must force us to choose."

Turner continued, "Saudi Arabia and Kuwait flare methane. In most of America, this is illegal. Coal is mined by children in China and Indonesia and across Southeast Asia. Rare Earths are mined by slaves in Africa, and green activists ensure this continues by preventing such mining to occur ethically and responsibly in America."

Turner questioned how the Biden administration can argue that "oil produced irresponsibly in foreign countries and landed on tankers burning millions of gallons of diesel" is considered "green."

"If we truly want to be green, we will do everything we can to produce all our energy and mine all our raw materials here in America," Turner said. "It is not only greener, it is better for our economy and our national security."

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive a response. 

Trump has said he plans to immediately reverse the drilling ban along most of the U.S. coastline, but he faces major roadblocks under a 70-year, irrevocable law.

"This is a disgraceful decision designed to exact political revenge on the American people who gave President Trump a mandate to increase drilling and lower gas prices. Rest assured, Joe Biden will fail, and we will drill, baby, drill," Trump's spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, said in a statement. 

Fox News Digital's Aubrie Spady and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report

President-elect Donald Trump said he plans to immediately reverse President Biden's new ban on offshore drilling along most of the U.S. coastline, but he faces major roadblocks under a 70-year, irrevocable law.

Throughout his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump vowed that, if elected, he would expand oil and gas drilling in an effort to bolster American-made energy.

However, Biden issued an 11th-hour executive order Monday morning to forestall such actions exactly two weeks before his term ends, announcing a permanent stop to most new oil and gas drilling across U.S. coastal and offshore waters in an area that spans about 625 million acres. 

"It's ridiculous. I'll unban it immediately," Trump said on "The Hugh Hewitt Show" on Monday. "What's he doing?"

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"We can't let that happen to our country," Trump added. "It's really our greatest economic asset."

The executive order, issued under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), seeks to block future oil and natural gas leasing along the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and portions of Alaska's Northern Bering Sea.

Trump said that he "has the right" to reverse such an action, but given that Biden issued the order under a 1953 law that allows the president to enact bans on oil and gas development, he would not be able to simply reverse it.

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In 2019, during Trump's first term, a federal judge ruled that OCSLA does not permit presidents to overturn bans established by previous administrations. This means Trump would need congressional approval to reverse Biden's decision.

Biden said that his decision stemmed from his efforts to curb climate change – one of dozens of moves from the Democratic president's green energy agenda.

"My decision reflects what coastal communities, businesses, and beachgoers have known for a long time: that drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs," Biden said in a statement. "It is not worth the risks. As the climate crisis continues to threaten communities across the country and we are transitioning to a clean energy economy, now is the time to protect these coasts for our children and grandchildren." 

Trump's spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, also issued a statement criticizing Biden's order.

"This is a disgraceful decision designed to exact political revenge on the American people who gave President Trump a mandate to increase drilling and lower gas prices. Rest assured, Joe Biden will fail, and we will drill, baby, drill," Leavitt said.

The Biden administration has made tightening efficiency standards for household appliances a target as he's built out his climate agenda over the past four years. 

"Making common household appliances more efficient is one of the most effective ways to slash energy costs and cut harmful carbon emissions," Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, who has spearheaded efforts to push households to adopt green energy alternatives, said in a statement. 

However, energy experts and manufacturers have warned that the Biden administration's regulations would lead to more expensive household appliances that are far less effective than current models.

"What these mandates – what these standards do is enforce a level of efficiency that doesn't make sense," said Ben Lieberman, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. "And they compromise product quality. We've already seen this to an extent with the cost of clothes washer standards." 

The Department of Energy (DOE) introduced a final rule in February imposing stricter energy standards for residential clothes washers (RCWs), such as washing machines and clothes dryers. 

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Under the regulations, certain less-efficient models of washers and dryers would be barred from being sold, according to DOE. 

The department projected that the energy standards would collectively save American households $2.2 billion per year on utility bills while reducing nearly 71 million metric tons of "dangerous carbon dioxide emissions" over the next three decades. 

However, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers argued that DOE's washing machine regulations "would have a disproportionate, negative impact on low-income households" by eliminating cheaper appliances from the market. 

"Despite misleading claims to the contrary, these proposals are intended for nothing more than promoting innovation and keeping money in the pockets of Americans everywhere without sacrificing the reliability and performance that consumers expect and rely on," a spokesperson for the Department of Energy told Fox News Digital. "As evidenced in the Department’s testing and analysis, the proposed standards would not reduce product performance or negatively impact cleaning ability or cycle time."

In 2023, the EPA finalized a rule to accelerate a transition to more advanced refrigeration and cooling technologies that don't use hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and proposed a second rule to manage HFCs in existing products. HFCs are chemicals common in household appliances, such as refrigeration, heating, and air conditioning units. 

The rule, set to go into effect in 2025, aims to phase out HFCs to achieve an 85% reduction by 2036.

But manufacturers reportedly privately predicted that the regulation would increase prices up to 20%, according to the Competitive Enterprise Institute.

In February 2023, the DOE issued a proposal to target gas-powered stovetops, which was set to take effect in 2027 and affect 50% of current gas stove models. 

Under the 2023 proposal, DOE would have banned the future sale of gas stoves that consume more than 1,204 thousand kBtu per year. 

Restaurant owners have fumed over potential gas stove ban regulations.

"The majority of New York City restaurants use gas. It’s the most common stove in a high-volume kitchen," Peter Petti, executive chef at Upper East Side restaurant, Sojourn, told the New York Post. "Gas lets us do our job efficiently."

After facing pushback from Republicans and consumer advocacy groups, the DOE issued its final regulations, which will impact 3% of gas stove models, rather than the initial 50%.

The Biden administration doubled efficiency standards for light bulbs, requiring manufacturers to raise the levels for common light bulbs from 45 lumens per watt to more than 120 lumens per watt, a nearly 170% increase. Only LED bulbs will be able to comply with the standards, not compact fluorescent bulbs.

The DOE suggested that the regulations will slash greenhouse gas pollution by cutting 70 million metric tons of carbon dioxide over the next three decades.

When it takes effect in 2028, the rule will knock most currently available LEDs off the market and increase the average price of the remaining ones from $2.98 to an estimated $5.68, an increase of $2.70 per bulb, according to Lieberman.

Results from a Residential Energy Consumption Survey indicate that fewer than half of households reported using LEDs as their primary or exclusive lighting source.

The DOE implemented efficiency regulations to prohibit new non-condensing gas furnaces by 2028, by requiring that non-weatherized gas furnaces achieve an annual fuel utilization efficiency of 95%.

The American Gas Association, American Public Gas Association, National Propane Gas Association and manufacturer Thermo Products filed a lawsuit against DOE, claiming that costs could increase for 30% of senior-only households, 26% of low-income households and 27% of small business consumers if the regulation were to go into effect.

"Yesterday, the Biden administration finalized a rule that would effectively ban natural gas furnaces and other gas furnaces that are found in more than half of U.S. households," AGA Vice President of Energy Markets, Analysis, and Standards Richard Meyer told The National Desk in a statement. "In five years, around Christmas 2028, if you have to replace your gas furnace, you may be saddled with hundreds if not thousands of dollars of additional costs to upgrade that equipment to comply with this rule."

The Biden administration amended its energy conservation standards, putting into effect stricter energy standards for ceiling fans.

According to an analysis from the DOE, the new rules would save households about $39 over the lifespan of the new energy-efficient fan, FOX Business previously reported.

The regulation faced backlash from the House Small Business Committee, which claimed in a letter to the DOE secretary that it could put between 10% and 30% of small business ceiling fan manufacturers out of business.

Biden's appliance regulations could soon be in jeopardy, as President-elect Donald Trump is expected to overturn much of the current administration's climate agenda when he assumes the presidency in 2025.

Fox News' Matteo Cina contributed to this report.

EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Carlos Gimenez, a member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), said China is the "greatest threat" to the United States and that President-elect Donald Trump will bring "peace through strength, not peace through appeasement." 

Gimenez, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital the CCP is the "adversary we have to watch, both militarily and economically." 

"China is making great strides around the world," Gimenez said, pointing to its capacity in production, specifically with defense materials and weapons. "It surpasses that of the United States’ and we have seen that we are lacking." 

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Gimenez said the Russian-Ukraine war has "demonstrated to us that our defense capacity has been degraded over the decades."

"It shows we could run out of munitions fairly quickly if we had a prolonged fight with China," he said, warning that China also "has the ability to produce many more ships than we do." 

Gimenez said the U.S. is "trying to do catch-up." 

"We have to update how we do things at the Pentagon, we have to be more nimble, we have to get the private sector involved, and we have to eliminate bureaucracy that has hampered our ability to protect ourselves," he said. 

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But as for the approach to the China threat, Gimenez blasted the Biden administration, specifically President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

"I think China, with Biden and Blinken, thought they could do just about anything they wanted or thought they could fool them," he said. "The Biden administration was always exhibiting weakness and trying to appease our enemies, whereas Trump knows exactly who our friends are, who our enemies are and is going to put the security of America first."

Gimenez added, "He understands that the security of America lies in peace through strength, not peace through appeasement."

As for confronting the threat in the coming months, Gimenez pointed to the importance of the U.S. being energy independent.

Gimenez said he wants to "make America the energy spigot of the world, where the world goes to get energy is America." 

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"It would help our financial situation, our balance sheet, and give us the ability to help our friends and weaken our enemies," he said.

"We could use our energy dominance as an economic weapon against our enemies, helping our friends and hurting our enemies," he continued. "We can substitute Iranian and Venezuelan oil with American oil, Russian oil with American oil, and then starve those countries which are allied with China of their greatest source of revenue and then impede their ability to help China."

"If China finds itself isolated in the world, I think that’s the best way we can contain this threat," he said. "But we have to project strength and the willingness to confront aggression by the CCP."

As for the House Select Committee on the CCP, he said they have "much more work to do." 

"The China threat is increasing," he said, noting that the committee is bipartisan in its nature and that members on both sides of the aisle have "bought into that China is the threat and that China will be the threat."

"It’s not climate change, it’s China," he said. "And we have to confront that threat or live in a world that is dominated by the Chinese Communist Party."

"And Trump is going to project strength and back those words with action."

A group of U.S. oil and gas producers is upping the pressure on House Speaker Mike Johnson to push through a major permitting reform bill, stressing in a letter Wednesday the urgency for the chamber to move swiftly on approving the legislation, which they see as crucial for attracting new investments in domestic oil and gas projects, bolstering national energy security and breathing new life into other long-stalled energy infrastructure projects.

The letter, authored by a coalition of U.S. oil and gas groups who represent a combined 80% of domestic fossil fuel production, stressed the need for House Republicans to swiftly and "immediately" pass the Energy Permitting Reform Act, or the 2024 bill authored by Sens. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., and John Barrasso, R-Wyo. They described that legislation as crucial to helping expedite actions for producers under the second Trump administration. 

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"While this bill is merely the first step towards comprehensive permitting reform in this country, we believe that passing the package now, at the end of the 118th, and then earnestly advancing additional National Environmental Policy Act reforms such as those being drafted by Chairman Westerman in the Natural Resources Committee, will ensure that America can get back on track as quickly as possible," the letter said.

Pressure on Johnson and House Republicans has mounted in recent days as lawmakers prepare for a final sprint before the end of the 118th session of Congress. Some have suggested the bill's best chances of passage are by paring it with NEPA reform — likely efforts championed by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., which could earn the permitting reform bill more buy-in from House Republicans.

Its signatories included more than half a dozen major oil and gas industry groups, including the Gulf Energy Alliance, the U.S. Oil & Gas Association, and the Independent Petroleum Association, among others.

In the letter, the groups pointed to an analysis from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory that found that in 2000, it took an average of just two years for new U.S. energy infrastructure projects to go from being issued their first permit to becoming fully operational — a timeline, they noted, that has now extended to an average of more than five years for new projects.   

"Such delays discourage investment in these projects and threatens our energy security," they said. "Many projects take even longer or are ultimately canceled as funding is lost or companies simply give up."

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"The Energy Permitting Reform Act must be treated as an urgent priority," National Ocean Industries Association President Erik Milito told Fox News Digital in a statement. "With the transition to a new Congress and administration looming, this legislation is crucial for establishing a strong national energy and permitting policy framework that will propel federal support for American offshore energy well into the future."

"By simplifying the permitting process, we can boost our domestic energy production while maintaining environmental safeguards," Milito said, adding, "These reforms reaffirm America's commitment to leading the world in energy production, economic prosperity, and environmental stewardship."In campaigning for president, Trump has vowed to "unleash" U.S. energy production, including oil and gas production, and to "frack, frack, frack."

President-elect Donald Trump blamed the Biden administration for what he views as recent failures in U.S. oil and gas production and used many of his campaign trail stump speeches to take aim at the administration for its outsize focus on electric vehicle manufacturing and production, as well as the shuttering of aging power plants and the spike in energy prices, which increased by as much as 50% in the Keystone State.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Speaker Johnson's office for comment on the letter.