Donald Trump, in Louisiana, Says He Will End Energy Regulations

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President-elect Donald J. Trump spoke Friday at a rally for Republican candidates in Baton Rouge, La., a state heavily dependent on the oil and gas industry. Credit Doug Mills/The New York Times

BATON ROUGE, La. â€" President-elect Donald J. Trump promised on Friday that his administration would strip away “job-killing restrictions” on energy production and encourage the construction of refineries in the United States, as he campaigned for Republican candidates in a state heavily dependent on the oil and gas industry.

“We will cancel the job-killing restrictions on the production of American energy,” Mr. Trump said in an airplane hangar in Baton Rouge, the day before Louisiana voters go to the polls to vote for Senate and House candidates. “We haven’t had refineries built in decades, right? We’re going to have refineries built again.”

His comments came a day after he had announced his selection of Scott Pruitt, Oklahoma’s attorney general, as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Mr. Pruitt is a staunch ally of the energy industry who has teamed up with companies to undercut the Obama administration’s climate regulations.

Mr. Trump pledged to enact a “massive” tax cut for the middle class, roll back Obama-era regulations, pass a $1 trillion infrastructure program and build a wall on the southern border to prioritize American people and jobs.

“We’re going to rebuild our country with American hands by American workers,” Mr. Trump said, adding that his administration would be guided by “two simple rules: Buy American, and hire American.”

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“Our country is being drained â€" drained of jobs,” Mr. Trump said.

He also suggested that he would make broader cultural changes, arguing that desecrating the American flag should be outlawed or bring a penalty.

“I think it’s a disgrace, O.K.?” Mr. Trump said of burning or stamping on the United States flag. “I’m a big believer in free speech, but maybe we’re going to be putting something in” to address the issue, he said. “I think we’re going to have to do something about that.”

Interactive Graphic A Trump administration could weaken or do away with many of the Obama-era policies focused on greenhouse gas emissions. > OPEN Interactive Graphic The Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that flag burning was a form of free speech protected under the First Amendment. Mr. Trump, who has been traveling the country on a thank-you tour reliving his victory on election night, took time to gloat over his onetime critics in the Republican Party. “Remember the ‘never Trumpers’? They’re on a respirator right now, they’re gasping for air,” Mr. Trump said. “Some of them are saying, ‘I’d only vote for Trump â€" I love this guy.’ ” Mr. Trump, who often encouraged supporters’ angry chants during the campaign, tried to quiet booing at his mention of President Obama on Friday. “President Obama, who, by the way, I’ve gotten along with so well,” Mr. Trump said, as the crowd began to jeer. “No, no, no, he’s really doing great. He’s been so nice.” It was the second appearance in a row at which Mr. Trump appeared to attempt to calm, rather than rile up, his audience, a departure from his behavior during the race. In Des Moines on Thursday night, as supporters booed and hissed at protesters who had unfurled a banner and were shouting about the Ku Klux Klan and fascism, Mr. Trump said it was “all right” and quickly moved on with his speech.

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In Michigan, several hours after he spoke in Louisiana, Mr. Trump once again relived election night, offering thousands of boisterous fans who filled an arena in Grand Rapids a long soliloquy on his electoral victory.

The president-elect formally introduced Betsy DeVos, his nominee for education secretary, who is from Michigan. Ms. DeVos vowed to listen to parents and students, saying that if she is confirmed, she will “make education great again.”

He also brought Andrew N. Liveris, the chief executive officer of the Dow Chemical Company, to the stage to announce an investment that Mr. Trump said would bring 700 new jobs to Michigan. Mr. Liveris will serve as the head of Mr. Trump’s manufacturing council, the president-elect said.

But Mr. Trump spent just a fraction of his hourlong speech on his policy agenda. He listed his campaign promises, including school choice, fairer trade, reduced regulations, a border wall, fewer restrictions on drilling, lower taxes and a promise to create “millions and millions of great paying jobs.”

Mr. Trump got some of his biggest cheers when he wished the crowd a merry Christmas, then mocked department stores that he said refuse to write those words on their walls. “We’re going to start saying ‘merry Christmas’ again,” he said.

But for most of the time, he walked the crowd through a minute-by-minute retelling of how he watched the returns come in on election night. He said his children had all-but written him off after exit polls showed Hillary Clinton ahead.

“All of a sudden, ‘Breaking news: Donald Trump has won the state of Florida,” he bellowed. “Then we went right up that coastline.”

Mr. Trump was interrupted repeatedly by protesters, who were ushered out of the arena by security officials. Each time, the crowd chanted “U.S.A., U.S.A.” and at one point, Mr. Trump ordered: “Get them out of here!” prompting more cheers from the crowd.

“Where do these people come from?” the president-elect asked the crowd.

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