United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed four executive actions aimed at reversing policies that transitioned the US away from coal production and aimed at boosting the country’s “beautiful clean coal industry.”
Speaking in the White House East Room, Trump declared that his administration is ending the “war” that former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden waged on the coal industry.
The president also noted that his administration is examining the legalities of making it more difficult for companies in the US to shut down coal plants.
“We are ending Joe Biden’s war on beautiful, clean coal once and for all. And it was not just Biden, it was [Barack] Obama, and there were others. But we are doing the exact opposite. And all those plants that have been closed are going to be opened,” Trump said.
Another executive order signed on Tuesday is intended to promote grid reliability, including through the continued use of fossil fuels.
The move marks a renewed effort by the Trump administration to shift US energy policy back toward traditional energy sources and away from renewable-focused strategies championed by previous administrations.