Trump says Taiwan agreed to buy 30 percent of gas from Alaska pipeline

President Trump announced Tuesday that Taiwan has agreed to purchase 30 percent of gas from the Alaska pipeline over the next 20 years.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Wasilla, Alaska, Trump said Taiwan will invest $4.4 billion into the project on top of $50 billion already committed by South Korea.

The president was quick to credit incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), who is facing a competitive election bid, with the announcement.

“I have to say that Dan Sullivan helped me get this done. Thank you, Dan,” Trump said at the event.

Earlier this month, Trump announced South Korea would invest up to $200 billion into U.S. energy infrastructure, including toward a natural gas pipeline in Alaska. The investment also sought to fund a natural gas plant in Texas and eight new nuclear power plants across the U.S.

“The United States is already the largest natural gas producer and exporter in the world, and this pipeline will help us expand those exports even further,” Trump said, speaking alongside Sullivan in the Oval Office earlier this month.

Rising energy prices resulting from the U.S.’s war in Iran has hit states like Alaska hard ahead of the midterms.

Sullivan is facing a competitive reelection bid against former Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska). The incumbent senator is also running against another Republican in the race, who is also named Dan Sullivan.

Trump’s decision to journey out to the state during the midterm season underscores how critical the red leaning state will be on Election Day.

Sabato’s Crystal Ball, an election handicapper based at the University of Virginia, moved the race from “toss-up” to “leans Democratic” earlier this week.

Decision Desk HQ, another election handicapper, also has Peltola slightly favored to win, while the Cook Political Report has the race in the “toss-up” category.