Trump issues order to block state climate change policies
Donald Trump issued an executive order on Tuesday that aims to block the enforcement of state laws passed to reduce the use of fossil fuels and combat the climate crisis.
The move is the latest in a string of efforts by Trump’s administration to pump up domestic energy output and push back against largely Democratic-led policies to curb carbon emissions. It came just hours after Trump, a Republican, issued orders to increase coal production.
The order directed the US attorney general to identify state laws that address climate change, ESG initiatives, environmental justice and carbon emissions, and to take action to block them.
“Many States have enacted, or are in the process of enacting, burdensome and ideologically motivated ‘climate change’ or energy policies that threaten American energy dominance and our economic and national security,” the order said.
Trump specifically cited laws in New York and Vermont that fine fossil fuel companies for their contribution to climate change, California’s cap-and-trade policy, and lawsuits by states that have sought to hold energy companies accountable for their role in global heating.
Key events
Trump brags world leaders are ‘kissing my ass’ to make trade deals amid tariff chaos
During a speech at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) president’s dinner last night, Donald Trump bragged that other countries were calling and “kissing my ass” to negotiate tariff rates just before they went into effect.
“They are,” he emphasized. “They are dying to make a deal.”
Trump made the remarks at the dinner, a key fundraising event for House Republicans, hours before his 104% tariffs came into effect for China, along with new tariffs imposed on 57 target countries, territories and blocs including rates of 20% on the EU, 26% on India and 49% on Cambodia.
As I reported here yesterday, the Trump administration has scheduled talks with South Korea and Japan, two close allies and major trading partners, and the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, is due to visit next week.
In his speech, Trump went on to mock the world leaders initiating tariff talks with his administration, pretending to be them as he pitifully pleaded in a simpering voice:
Please, please, sir, make a deal. I’ll do anything. I’ll do anything, sir.
He of course did not mention countries like China and Canada that are imposing counter-tariffs on US goods.
With markets in a flux and amid fears of a global recession, Trump maintained that he was correct and everyone else was wrong about the danger of tariffs:
I know what the hell I’m doing.
He also took aim at rebel Republicans who are attempting to give Congress the ability to block his tariffs.
Then he went on to bring up Hannibal Lecter again and claim that he’s real, but we won’t get into that.
Anyway, CNN has the clip.
