Trump Administration Dismantles U.S. Climate Regulations and Terminology

Donald Trump has executed a sweeping reversal of U.S. climate and environmental policies since taking office in January 2025. The administration dismantled the National Center for Atmospheric Research in December 2025 and repealed the 2009 endangerment finding, removing the federal government's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles and power plants.

At the Department of Energy, leadership restricted the use of terminology such as sustainability and climate change. This shift in policy is mirrored in the private sector, where tech leaders Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates have transitioned toward fossil-fuel-powered AI data centers. Additionally, the Washington Post reduced its climate desk coverage.

These developments were celebrated by climate deniers at the World Prosperity Forum in Zurich. While some Democratic lawmakers have pivoted their messaging toward economic affordability, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse has criticized this trend of climate hushing, arguing that those concerned with fossil fuel pollution must ignore critics who believe Democrats should stop discussing the climate.