One of the world’s rarest whales, the Rice's whale, is in the way of the Trump administration's desire to expand oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists fear the species could be pushed to extinction if the administration gets its way. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth requested an endangered species exemption, citing national security as the Iran war pushes energy prices sharply higher, and the seldom-used Endangered Species Committee granted it Tuesday. Scientists say as few as 50 Rice's whales may remain. They live their entire lives in the Gulf, where they're vulnerable to vessel strikes, noise pollution, oil spills and climate change — all of which could increase with more drilling.
