You remember the pictures. The images of tech oligarchs kissing the ring at President Trump’s inauguration were instantly iconic, markers of a new and rather unnerving era. But months earlier, Mr. Trump made a corrosive pact with another set of moguls, and that one is already remaking global politics, wiping out jobs at home and strangling what little hope was left of avoiding a climate disaster. This one happened behind closed doors.
These moguls were leaders of the oil and gas industry, and Mr. Trump promised them he would do them so many favors that a billion dollars in donations would feel like a “deal.” The executives gave him only a fraction of the money he sought. Mr. Trump, on the other hand, has given them more than they asked for — and some now say it’s backfiring.
