How Trump Is Targeting Wind And Solar Energy – And Delighting Big Oil

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.

Trump has long disparaged wind energy, calling it “disgusting” and baselessly alleging turbines are the primary cause of whale and bird deaths, and his administration has now halted all federal approvals of onshore and offshore wind.

“We don’t want windmills in this country,” the president recently told Fox News. “The wind blows and then it doesn’t blow, the things cost a fortune, they are made in China, they kill the birds, they’re horrible.”

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