Two oil pump jacks in a green field

Opinion: Trump allies aim to take U.S. energy policy back in time

Harold Hamm, a longtime oil executive, is using his influence with President Trump and key administration officials to sideline renewable energy and promote an oil-first agenda resminsicent of the 1990s, Russell Gold writes for The New York Times.


In short:

  • Harold Hamm helped gut wind energy tax breaks in Oklahoma while protecting oil subsidies, then expanded his influence to national politics.
  • He organized a $1 billion fundraising ask from oil executives to Trump, who has stacked his cabinet with Hamm’s longtime allies.
  • Despite renewable energy’s growth and grid stability in states like Texas, the new administration frames fossil fuels as essential and renewables as unreliable.

Key quote:

“Everywhere wind and solar penetration have increased significantly, prices on the grid went up and stability of the grid went down.”

— Chris Wright, U.S. Energy Secretary

Why this matters:

America’s transition to clean energy is running into a powerful force: the fossil fuel industry’s grip on politics. While solar and wind are cheaper than ever, and emissions have dipped in recent years, oil and gas executives are wielding their influence in Washington and state capitols to secure new drilling permits, delay regulations, and protect profits. With President Trump back in office, allies of the fossil fuel sector are again steering energy policy, pushing for expanded production even as the world warms.

The industry's political clout carries steep consequences. For frontline communities — many of them low-income or majority Black, Latino, or Indigenous — the ongoing reliance on fossil fuels means continued exposure to air and water pollution from refineries, pipelines, and power plants. These neighborhoods often bear the health burdens of asthma, heart disease, and shortened lifespans. Meanwhile, climate impacts — from deadly heatwaves to billion-dollar disasters — are escalating, as the planet responds to every added ton of carbon.

Related:


Ornate Parliament Hill building and clock tower in Canada's capital city.

Mark Carney’s rise places Trump between two quiet climate champions

Canada’s newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, both seasoned climate advocates, now flank President Trump, creating a North American dynamic where climate leadership persists even when it’s not a campaign focus.

Justin Worland reports for TIME.

Keep reading...Show less
A kitchen wall with cabinets and an oven
Credit: Ida/Pixabay

Energy Star program faces shutdown as EPA reorganizes under Trump administration

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to eliminate the Energy Star program and other climate initiatives as part of a major agency reorganization, according to internal documents and recordings.

Lisa Friedman and Rebecca F. Elliott report for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
Two men holding rope and setting up a roof for solar panels.

Political shifts stall $8 billion in clean energy projects as U.S. renewables boom

The U.S. clean energy sector has grown dramatically, but policy uncertainty under President Trump has already led to the cancellation or downsizing of nearly $8 billion in renewable projects this year.

Ames Alexander reports for Floodlight.

Keep reading...Show less
Sign in front of electric vehicle chargers that says 'Electric Vehicle Only'.

Why some House Democrats helped block California’s 2035 gas car ban

Thirty-five House Democrats joined Republicans to overturn California’s plan to phase out gas-powered cars by 2035, citing concerns about affordability and heavy industry lobbying.

Lisa Friedman reports for The New York Times.

Keep reading...Show less
Mining excavator in a mine pit.

Trump administration accelerates Alabama coal expansion mostly for foreign steel markets

The Trump administration is expediting the approval of a major Alabama coal mine expansion despite environmental and safety concerns, with most of the coal destined for export to foreign steelmakers.

Lee Hedgepeth reports for Inside Climate News.

Keep reading...Show less
LNG storage tank with a red sky in the background.

Louisiana expands LNG exports as Trump fast-tracks new terminal permits

A new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal is moving forward in southwest Louisiana, adding to the state’s growing LNG footprint as federal and state officials push for more fossil fuel infrastructure.

Tristan Baurick reports for Grist.

Keep reading...Show less
Big Ben and Parliament building in the United Kingdom.

UK residents take government’s climate strategy to European human rights court

Two British men argue that the UK’s failure to protect them from climate-related harm violates their human rights and have escalated their case to Europe’s top human rights court.

Damien Gayle reports for The Guardian.

Keep reading...Show less
From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.