April’s Biggest Fool: Donald Trump 🤡

Trump, whose near-broke campaign is relying on more Big Oil money to survive, was the worst president for the environment in U.S. history and promises to kill climate progress if elected

Washington, D.C. — The first day of April marks the first day of Earth Month, a time to raise environmental awareness and kick-start action to protect our planet. Let’s be clear: President Joe Biden has done more than any other U.S. president to protect our environment and invest in a transition to clean and renewable energy that we know is required to mitigate our climate crisis. 

On the other hand, Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, is April Fools’ Day’s biggest joke. Donald Trump, a notorious climate denier, was the worst president for the environment in U.S. history. His dangerous actions fueled the current climate crisis and killed jobs. From reminding voters he’ll reverse President Biden’s historic actions and double down on lining the pockets of Big Oil CEOs who are supporting his flailing campaign, to linking his pro-Big Oil agenda with saving donuts, he’s proven that he’ll kill our climate progress the second he gets elected. Climate Power’s communications director, Alex Glass, today released the following statement:

“Communities across America are reaping the benefits of President Biden’s clean energy investments in new jobs, lowered energy costs, and cleaner air and water. During Trump’s presidency, he put Big Oil CEOs and their companies first – giving them tax breaks, allowing them to pollute our air and water, and stacking his administration with fossil fuel lobbyists. He’d do it again in a second term. For anyone who cares about the climate crisis, Donald Trump’s candidacy is a cruel joke. Americans won’t be fooled into voting for a notorious climate denier and Big Oil apologist in 2024.” 

Top Foolish and Dangerous Actions Donald Trump’s Presidency Wrought on for our Planet: 

• Trump filled his administration with fossil fuel lobbyists and climate deniers. 
  • Nearly half of Trump’s initial political appointees hired to fill positions at the EPA had polluting industry ties, and almost one-third worked as registered lobbyists or lawyers. Just halfway through his administration, a report found that Trump had nominated 281 lobbyists to serve in appointed positions. At the EPA, Trump first put climate denier Scott Pruitt in charge of the agency, but after Pruitt resigned in a corruption scandal, Trump nominated fossil fuel lobbyist Andrew Wheeler to take over. At the Department of the Interior, Trump first put climate denier Ryan Zinke in charge of the department, but after Zinke resigned in a corruption scandal, Trump nominated fossil fuel lobbyist David Bernhardt to take over.
• Trump rolled back more than 100 environmental rules. 
  • As President, Trump rolled back more than 100 environmental rules, including nearly 30 air pollution and emission rules, 12 drilling and extraction rules, and eight water pollution rules. 
• Trump launched a war on the nation’s clean energy economy that cost jobs and stunted growth. 
  • The former president’s policies amount to a war on the clean energy economy that cost jobs, stunted growth, and impeded the nation’s ability to tackle climate change. Trump imposed tariffs on solar, tried to eliminate the electric vehicle tax credit, and slow-walked the leasing and planning processes for renewable energy projects. His actions cost Americans 1.1. million clean energy jobs. 
• Trump bailed out fossil fuel CEOs. 
  • The Trump administration focused on bailing out greedy oil company CEOs. Trump’s tax breaks gave a $25 billion handout to the oil and gas industry and opened the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. It allowed Chevron to pay zero in federal income taxes after the law passed, even as the company paid their CEO $33 million and laid off thousands of workers. More than $1.9 billion in COVID relief tax benefits went to 37 oil companies, and at least 5,538 fossil fuel companies collected between $3 billion and $7 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans. Now they are raking in record profits off consumers’ pain at the pump. 
• One of Trump’s first actions in office was withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement. 
  • The United States’ participation would have saved over half a trillion dollars annually, and the Agreement was projected to create 24 million clean energy jobs globally by 2030.