Despite having invested heavily in clean energy under former President Joe Biden, the U.S. is now falling back into old habits, which is driving up its greenhouse gas emissions. Since coming into office in January, President Donald Trump has introduced a wide range of policies aimed at increasing fossil fuel production, reining in the renewable energy sector, and cutting funding for environmental research. These moves have led experts to reassess their greenhouse gas emissions outlooks for the U.S., as many increase their emissions forecasts.
Upon entering office, Trump declared the U.S. was experiencing an “energy emergency” and introduced executive orders to reopen land and ocean for new fossil fuel exploration activities, marking a U-turn on restrictions introduced under Biden. Oil and gas production in the U.S. rose to record highs under President Biden, despite these restrictions, as the former leader sought to shift reliance away from Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. However, Trump wants to push output even higher, repeatedly stating his mantra: “drill, baby, drill”.
Trump has not only gone full force on fossil fuels, but he also announced plans to restrict renewable energy projects, which has made the industry wary of new investment in clean energy. In January, Trump introduced an executive order pausing approvals, permits, and loans for all wind energy projects both onshore and offshore, a move that is currently facing legal action from 18 states. Trump also halted the development of the Empire Wind 1 offshore wind farm in New York in April, for which he may also face legal action from Norwegian energy major Equinor.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has cut funding for a range of environmental initiatives, government agencies, and research projects. In May, the government announced plans for a significant reorganisation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), suggesting major cuts in staffing, particularly in the EPA’s scientific research arm. Staff levels could fall to levels not seen since the Ronald Reagan era in the 1980s. The Trump administration also proposed cutting billions of dollars in federal funding next year for a range of projects, including renewable energy and electric vehicle chargers, as well as halting programmes aimed at tackling climate change, as part of a wider request to cut $163 billion in 2026 federal spending.
These moves are expected to contribute to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. under the Trump administration, compared to the decrease seen under Biden. To date, Trump has taken 145 initial actions to reverse environmental regulations and p