President Donald Trump has ordered a major coal production push, citing China’s advantage and reversing Biden’s restrictive energy regulations.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump declared on Monday that he is directing his administration to ramp up domestic coal production, citing the economic advantage China holds due to its coal-powered energy sector and vowing to reverse what he described as harmful climate regulations imposed by the previous administration. The president made the announcement in a post on Truth Social, emphasizing that it is time to “begin producing Energy with BEAUTIFUL, CLEAN COAL.”
“After years of being held captive by Environmental Extremists, Lunatics, Radicals, and Thugs, allowing other Countries, in particular China, to gain tremendous Economic advantage over us by opening up hundreds of all Coal Fire Power Plants, I am authorizing my Administration to immediately begin producing Energy with BEAUTIFUL, CLEAN COAL,” Trump wrote.
The statement comes amid the Trump administration’s rapid reversal of Biden-era environmental policies. Coal, which accounted for approximately 16% of U.S. power generation in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, has faced regulatory headwinds under former President Joe Biden. Trump’s new directive, while lacking specific implementation details, signals a shift in U.S. energy policy priorities.
Republican lawmakers representing coal-producing states quickly praised the announcement. “Awesome news from President Trump. The days of sacrificing our livelihoods to the Green New Scam are OVER. Our New American Golden Age will be COAL-FIRED!” West Virginia Treasurer Riley Moore wrote in a post on X. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia added, “Couldn’t agree more, @POTUS!” in her own response. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming also praised the move, stating, “Make America Energy Dominant Again!” in a post on X.
During Biden’s term, his administration imposed new limitations on emissions from coal plants and prohibited future coal leasing in key areas such as Montana’s and Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. In contrast, the Trump administration is now reconsidering those regulations. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has led a slate of 31 deregulatory actions as part of what he and the president described as “historic” moves to support energy production.
President Trump previously declared a national energy emergency on January 20, aiming to expand fossil fuel production and reduce energy prices. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has advocated for halting the closure of coal-fired plants as part of an “all-of-the-above” energy policy. In a recent interview, Wright expressed concern about the U.S. power grid’s reliability and emphasized the importance of maintaining coal capacity.
“I’m very concerned about the grid,” Wright told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “We have to increase throughput with the existing physical assets. I think it can be done, but it is a daunting challenge… We’ve been closing coal plants for quite some time now. That’s gotta stop.”
Wright emphasized that many existing coal plants remain underutilized due to regulatory constraints. “We have a fair amount of electricity generating capacity that already exists and connected up to wires. So, that’s low-hanging fruit.”
Industry expert David Blackmon echoed that sentiment in a February 15 op-ed, writing, “It’s a new day in American power generation. Coal is in, wind is out, and reindustrialization is the goal.”
Former Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry stated in 2021 that the U.S. would phase out coal by 2030, a position now at odds with the Trump administration’s direction. Wright and others argue that preserving coal plants is essential to achieving reliable, affordable power nationwide, particularly in light of recent grid challenges.
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