How Trump is targeting wind and solar energy - and delighting big oil

Source: The Guardian

How Trump is targeting wind and solar energy – and delighting big oil

Critics say Trump is using every presidential power possible against clean power in sharp turn after Biden investments created jobs

Oliver Milman in New York
Mon 3 Feb 2025 11.00 GMT
Last modified on Mon 3 Feb 2025 11.02 GMT

For several years, Republicans accused Joe Biden of waging a “war on energy” even as the Untied States drilled more oil and gas than at any time in its history. Now, a more tangible assault is gathering pace under Donald Trump – aimed squarely at wind, solar and other cleaner forms of power.

In the first two weeks of his return as president, Trump has, like his first term, issued orders to open up more American land and waters for fossil fuel extraction and started the process to yank the US from the Paris climate agreement. “We will drill, baby drill,” said Trump, who has promised to cut energy and electricity prices in half within 18 months.

But Trump has this time also launched a blitzkrieg against renewable energy, with his department of interior temporarily suspending all clean energy development – but tellingly not oil and gas – on federal land.

Meanwhile an “energy emergency” declared by Trump mentions the need to bolster “crude oil, natural gas, lease condensates, natural gas liquids, refined petroleum products, uranium, coal” but not solar, wind or other clean energy technologies. Trump has said he would like to see “good clean coal”, the dirtiest of fossil fuels, meet the rising electricity demand from AI generation.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/03/trump-war-on-clean-energy-big-oil