Trump invests $700m in coal power plants

This action will enable these infrastructures to modernise, extend their life expectancy for decades, and ensure reliable energy at low prices for Americans”, the president said. According to him, funds will also be used for the construction of a major coal export terminal in Oakland, California, with the aim of boosting US presence on international markets.

Trump named coal a clean and beautiful “source, since it announced that the two new thermal power plants would be built in West Virginia and Alaska, using, according to him, modern technology and less polluting. However, the plan has prompted strong reactions from Democrats and environmental groups. The Coalition for Energy and Sustainable Environment (SEEC), which represents about 100 democratic lawmakers, accused the Trump administration of favouring “handists at the expense of American citizens”.

“ $700 million's income for a polluted and inefficient energy source places industry interests before public health and climate”, the coalition response said.

The decision comes at a moment when US coal use had marked significant decline over the past two decades.

However, according to data from the American Energy Information Administration, coal production has shown signs of recovery during 2025 and 2026.

Climate experts warn that burning coal remains one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions, while a study released earlier had linked pollution from coal power plants to hundreds of thousands of early US deaths.

Since the return to the White House, Trump has placed fossil fuels at the center of his energy policy, limiting a series of renewable energy projects, especially those of wind energy. /Periscope