Climate Power Statement on President Biden’s Leadership on Clean Cars, Trump’s Plans to Send American Auto Jobs to China

Washington, D.C. –  In response to today’s final Environmental Protection Agency pollution standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles for the model years 2027-2032, the latest element of President Biden’s affordable clean energy plan, Climate Power senior advisor for oil and gas Alex Witt issued the following statement:

“President Biden’s new clean car standards will slash pollution, create good-paying U.S. jobs, and save Americans money at the pump. President Biden is leading a new American auto manufacturing boom, giving consumers more choices in what they drive and how they spend their hard-earned money. It’s a complete 180 from Donald Trump’s policies, which shuttered auto factories and let China take the wheel on chip and clean car production.  

“These clean car standards will provide drivers with new, more affordable choices that allow families to keep more of their money instead of padding Big Oil’s profits. That’s why oil and gas CEOs are fighting the president’s clean energy plan tooth and nail. Trump already gave polluters a free pass once by gutting clean car standards in order to benefit his billionaire Big Oil backers  – and there’s no doubt he’d do so again. 

“The choice could not be clearer: are clean cars going to be made by American workers here at home or will they be made in China? Trump’s plans would decimate the auto industry and send auto jobs to China.”

President Biden’s clean energy plan has already encouraged companies to announce 280 new clean vehicle or battery manufacturing projects totaling 172,000 new jobs and $161 billion in private sector investments across the country since August 2022. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the auto industry lost nearly 10,000 jobs under Trump. And Politifact, rating Trump’s repeated claim that he saved the auto industry as false, noted: “The majority of Trump’s trade deals and tariffs hurt the auto industry or had no significant impact during his presidency. In particular, Trump’s 2018 tariffs on steel and aluminum significantly hurt the U.S. auto industry.”