Greta Jimenez
Donald Trump's administration has been criticised for its environmental policies, with some claiming that he has launched an all-out assault on the environment. Trump's actions have included scrapping climate regulations, reducing pollution standards, and encouraging the use of fossil fuels. However, some sources claim that Trump has improved air quality in America, with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) highlighting that Americans are breathing the cleanest air since 1970. This article will explore the impact of Trump's policies on air pollution and evaluate the extent to which he has protected or damaged the nation's air quality.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Trump's stance on air pollution | Trump has been criticized for his stance on air pollution, with many claiming that he has launched an "all-out assault" on the environment. |
| Trump's actions as President | Trump has targeted regulations governing fossil fuel production and use, weakened environmental protections, and favored the fossil fuel industry. |
| Impact on air quality | There is conflicting evidence, with some sources claiming that air quality improved during Trump's administration, while others state that air pollution increased. |
| Public opinion and criticism | Trump's actions have been criticized by environmental groups, legal experts, and politicians. There is also public opposition, as indicated by his low approval rating of 39% in a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll. |
| Policy changes | Trump's administration replaced the Clean Power Plan with weaker regulations, rolled back rules on emissions and pollution standards, and withdrew from the Paris climate accords. |
| Defense of actions | The White House has defended Trump's actions, stating that he is committed to ensuring Americans have clean air and water. They have highlighted improvements in air quality and emissions reductions. |
| Future expectations | Critics argue that Trump's actions will likely continue to negatively impact the environment and result in fewer environmental protections and increased pollution. |
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What You'll Learn
Trump's administration has been accused of launching an all-out assault on the environment
Trump's administration has been accused of launching an "all-out assault" on the environment, with a particular focus on air pollution. In his first 100 days, Trump targeted a range of environmental regulations and initiatives, including those aimed at reducing air pollution.
Trump's administration has prioritised deregulation, with the president issuing an executive order that for every new regulation, two must be eliminated. This agenda extends to rules protecting the nation's air and water quality and addressing climate change. The administration has targeted regulations governing the production and use of fossil fuels, including rolling back regulations on airborne emissions of mercury and other toxic substances from power plants. They have also reduced the regulation of coal ash disposal and storage, which has led to water pollution.
The administration has been accused of ignoring the climate crisis and prioritising the interests of the fossil fuel industry, which donated heavily to Trump's campaign. They have deleted a swath of Joe Biden-era green policies, frozen climate spending, and removed the US from the Paris climate accords. The Trump administration has also targeted the Energy Star program, which provides information on energy efficiency and has saved consumers $200 billion in utility bills since 1992, averting significant air pollution.
Trump's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been criticised for announcing plans to revise pollution standards and even reconsider whether greenhouse gases pose a public health risk. The EPA administrator, Lee Zeldin, has defended these actions, stating that the EPA is taking steps to quickly remove toxins from water and the environment and provide clean land for Americans. However, environmental experts and groups have expressed concern, stating that the administration's actions will lead to increased pollution and negative health consequences for Americans.
While the Trump administration claims to be committed to protecting the nation's air and highlights improvements in air quality during Trump's term, their actions indicate a disregard for the environment and the health and well-being of Americans.
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Deregulation of fossil fuel production and use
President Donald Trump has been vocal about his support for America's oil and gas industry, with his campaign slogan "Drill, Baby, Drill" reflecting his plan to boost fossil fuel production and reverse climate policies and regulations aimed at reducing US carbon emissions.
Trump has frequently targeted regulations governing the production and use of fossil fuels. He has lifted bans on oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and parts of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, in coastal waters around the United States, and in areas formerly protected as National Monuments in Utah. The administration has also intervened in permitting for fossil fuel infrastructure, such as the Keystone XL pipeline and the Dakota Access pipeline.
In addition, Trump has weakened rules limiting venting or flaring of methane from oil and gas production on public lands and has reduced reporting requirements for methane emissions. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a shorter lifespan than CO2.
Trump has also set his sights on increasing oil, natural gas, and coal production on federal lands and has called for the repeal of the Antiquities Act, which was used to establish national monuments where mineral, oil, and gas extraction could occur.
The administration's actions have often explicitly favored the fossil fuel industry, which donated heavily to Trump's presidential campaign.
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Removal of protections for endangered species
During his first 100 days in office, Donald Trump was criticised for launching an "all-out assault" on the environment. Environmental groups and legal experts claimed that the Trump administration posed a threat of a "new level".
In April 2025, the Trump administration proposed narrowing protections for endangered species. This move was criticised by environmentalists, who argued that it would accelerate extinction by opening up critical habitats for development, logging, and mining. The proposal was part of a broader quest to boost energy extraction and industrial access, even in the US's most sensitive and vulnerable natural areas. The new proposal offered a new interpretation of the 1973 Endangered Species Act, which would strike habitat destruction from the regulations.
The issue of habitat destruction was of particular concern in Hawaii, which has more endangered species than any other state, despite having less than 1% of the land area of the US. Removing safeguards for endangered species would accelerate Hawaii's extinction crisis and erode the biological and cultural heritage of the islands.
The legislation had previously helped safeguard more than 1,700 species and their habitats, preventing 99% of those listed from going extinct, including the bald eagle. Under the new proposal, someone who logs in a forest or builds a development would be unimpeded as long as they could say they didn't intend to harm an endangered species.
However, supporters of the proposal argued that the current consultation process under the Endangered Species Act was inefficient and resulted in unmanageable delays in project development. They claimed that the updates would provide greater clarity and efficiency while maintaining critical core protections. Agriculture groups that had criticised the rules for decades praised the Trump administration's efforts to revise the regulations.
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Loosening of pollution standards
During his presidency, Donald Trump has been accused of launching an all-out assault on the environment, with his administration taking over 140 actions to weaken or rescind environmental rules.
One notable example of Trump's loosening of pollution standards is the proposed budget cuts to federal energy funding and environmental justice initiatives. Trump's budget proposal, dubbed the "Green New Scam" by the president himself, includes significant reductions in funding for environmental justice initiatives at the Energy Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The proposal also includes cuts to federal funding grants from the EPA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to groups that Trump believes advance the "radical climate agenda". While the proposal is unlikely to be passed in its entirety, it reflects Trump's scepticism towards climate activism and his willingness to weaken pollution standards.
Another example is the Trump administration's hostility towards the Energy Star program, which aims to provide reliable information about energy demand and promote energy efficiency in buildings, homes, and appliances. Despite the program's success in saving consumers money and reducing air pollution, the Trump EPA has targeted it for elimination. This decision has been criticised as a short-sighted move that undermines a rare government program supported by both sellers and buyers, builders, and environmentalists.
Furthermore, Trump's EPA has also taken steps to rewrite regulations that limit pollution from cars, trucks, and power plants. In a single day in March, the agency launched 31 different actions to refashion pollution laws, including re-evaluating the harm of greenhouse gases to public health. The administration has also sought to ease restrictions on coal plants dumping toxic ash and mercury and has scaled back plans to prevent states from polluting their neighbouring states. These actions indicate a clear departure from previous efforts to protect public health and the environment.
Additionally, the Trump administration has directed agencies to stop estimating the economic impact of climate change when developing policies and regulations. This directive effectively shelves a powerful tool that was used by the Biden administration to strengthen limits on greenhouse gas emissions. By disregarding the social cost of carbon, the Trump administration has prioritised short-term economic interests over the long-term environmental and health consequences of increased pollution.
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Rollback of clean water rules
In 2019, Donald Trump's administration announced a repeal of the Waters of the United States rule, an Obama-era clean water regulation that limited the amount of pollution and chemicals in the nation's rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands. This rollback restricted the number of waterways the federal government could protect from pollution, including ditches, stormwater control facilities, and groundwater systems. It also limited government oversight to larger bodies of water.
The repeal was announced by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler at the headquarters of the National Association of Manufacturers, a trade group that had advocated for the rule's repeal and replacement. Trump had previously criticized the 2015 regulation for infringing on the rights of farmers, real estate developers, and landowners.
Environmental groups condemned the move, arguing that loosening these restrictions would significantly harm the country's sources of safe drinking water. Jon Devine, director of federal water policy at the Natural Resources Defense Council, stated that the clean water rule "represented solid science and smart public policy," and that its enforcement had protected important waterways and wetlands.
The rollback of the Waters of the United States rule was part of a broader pattern of the Trump administration's rollbacks of environmental protections. During his first term, Trump's administration launched numerous attacks on protections for land, oceans, forests, and wildlife, contributing to a worsening of the climate crisis. These actions included cutting programs that helped Americans with heating and cooling bills, firing staff working on health issues related to the environment and climate change, and withdrawing from the Paris climate accords.
Trump's administration also focused on issues such as the perceived inadequacy of paper straws, which he banned from federal offices, and the flow of water from showers, which he believed to be too weak. In April 2025, Trump signed an executive order to eliminate a federal water efficiency rule for showers, allowing for higher water pressure and flow.
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Frequently asked questions
Donald Trump has frequently been accused of attacking the environment and worsening air pollution. In his first 100 days in office, he launched an all-out assault on the environment, targeting regulations governing the production and use of fossil fuels. He has also rolled back rules on emissions of greenhouse gases and toxins such as mercury, as well as pipeline safety regulations. Trump's administration has also declined to strengthen the Obama rules for ozone, or smog.
Experts agree that the Trump administration has spent years systematically dismantling core environmental protections. In his first 100 days in office during his second term, Trump launched 145 actions to undo rules protecting clean air, more than in his entire first term.
The Trump administration has frequently targeted regulations governing the production and use of fossil fuels. Trump took office promising a business-friendly, deregulatory agenda, stating that for every new regulation put in place, two had to be eliminated.
The Trump administration claims that it is committed to protecting the nation's air and that Americans are breathing the cleanest air since 1970. The EPA has highlighted improvements in America's air quality during Trump's presidency, with a 7% drop in criteria air pollutant emissions since 2017.
The Energy Star program was created by the EPA in 1992 to provide reliable information about the energy demand associated with buildings, homes, and appliances. The program aimed to reduce energy costs and air pollution. However, the Trump administration has targeted the program for elimination, despite its success in saving consumers $200 billion in utility bills since its inception.
