Trump energy chief blames Democrats as electricity prices climb under his watch
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Republicans will be blamed for rising energy costs and denies that the Trump administration's push to curtail renewable energy development is the cause of recent price spikes.
Josh Siegel reports for POLITICO.
In short:
- U.S. electricity prices rose 5.5% over the past year as the Trump administration slows wind and solar development while boosting fossil fuel investments.
- Wright acknowledged political risks but said Biden-era clean energy incentives, not Republican policy shifts, are responsible for current price hikes.
- Some Republicans, however, especially in wind-heavy Iowa, are urging Trump not to cut tax credits for renewable projects already underway.
Key quote:
“People are mad about wind and they want to shut it down. There’s people, of course, that love it, and want more of it. But we got to balance those things.”
— Chris Wright, U.S. Energy Secretary
Why this matters:
As electricity demand surges from data centers, electric vehicles, and summer heat, the energy mix powering the U.S. grid is under intense pressure. The Trump administration’s rollback of renewable energy incentives and renewed push for coal, natural gas, and nuclear could reshape how Americans power their homes and businesses, potentially raising prices in the short term. While solar and wind now provide the bulk of new energy capacity at increasingly low cost, critics warn that withdrawing federal support too quickly could disrupt ongoing projects, reduce grid reliability, and increase reliance on more volatile fossil fuel markets. States like Iowa — already deeply invested in wind — demonstrate the tension between national policy shifts and local economic and energy realities.
Learn more: Red states face steep rise in energy bills as renewable tax cuts take effect
