Trump Slashes Renewable Energy Budget
By EcoBit
US President Donald Trump has unveiled his administration's plan to slash government spending. Source: Leah Millis via Reuters
Trump is proposing to slash budget on renewable energy, farms, and environmental programs—specifically targeting these key areas:
Renewable Energy & Carbon Capture
Electric Vehicle Chargers
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
Interior Dept. Renewable Energy
USDA (Farming & Conservation)
His administration proposes $15 billion cuts to renewable energy and $6 billion to EV chargers. Trump argues that EV chargers should be built like gas stations—through private investment, not public subsidies. He sees these efforts as slow, inefficient, and over-regulated. For this reason, he has criticized the Biden administration’s climate programs.
Instead, Trump aims to reallocate R&D toward fossil fuels. He is basically replacing renewable energy sources with oil, gas, coal, and nuclear, which he considers essential for energy independence and economic growth.
The proposal has drawn strong backlash from scientists and policymakers. Sudip Parikh, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, warned that “the United States will no longer be in the global race for R&D leadership" (Reuters, May 3, 2025).
Trump is shifting priorities away from environmental programs, framing them as wasteful and “unnecessary.” This definitely does little to support green energy transition. The budget cuts could also stall job creation in clean tech sectors and reduce investors’ confidence.
This isn’t just about domestic policy. It puts America at risk of falling behind in the global race for climate leadership. Without the right investments, the US could become increasingly dependent on China and the EU, who are rapidly advancing in clean energy and carbon markets.