The state of sustainability in second Trump administration

The second Trump administration marks a return to power for a president whose previous term was characterized by sweeping environmental deregulation and climate change skepticism. Donald Trump re-entered the Oval Office with familiar rhetoric and a renewed promise to prioritize ‘American energy dominance’ over what he often derides as ‘climate alarmism’.

Several months into his second term, the trajectory of sustainability in the US appears again tilted toward deregulation, fossil fuel expansion, and a rollback of climate-related initiatives enacted during the Biden years. While Trump’s supporters herald his administration as a corrective to what they view as costly overregulation, critics warn that the environmental and social consequences could be severe, with long-term sustainability sacrificed for short-term political wins.

Regulatory repeal round two

The second Trump administration wasted little time launching its version of ‘The Great Undoing 2.0’. Executive orders have targeted key Biden-era climate policies, including restoring methane regulations, implementing stricter vehicle emissions standards, and reinforcing protections for wetlands under the Clean Water Act. Once again led by an administrator with deep industry ties, the US Environmental Protection Agency has begun rolling back enforcement and narrowing the scope of environmental oversight, indicating a return to the agency’s earlier four-year period as a glorified fossil fuel concierge service.

Climate change skepticism

In his second term, Trump has doubled down on his climate change skepticism, now with more experience and fewer guardrails. The administration has halted federal participation in climate risk assessments, removed the social cost of carbon from regulatory calculations, and promoted fossil fuels as not just essential, but patriotic. Trump’s decision to officially withdraw, again, from international climate agreements further isolated the US from global climate leadership. In a move that baffled scientists and diplomats alike, the administration even suggested launching a commission to ‘investigate’ the science behind climate change.

Drill, baby, rebooted

The administration’s America First Energy Plan 2.0 is a love letter to coal, oil and natural gas. The White House has greenlit projects previously denied due to environmental concerns, including controversial offshore drilling operations, and expanded fracking on public lands. Renewable energy, while not outright banned, has seen a dramatic drop in federal support, tax incentives and research funding.

“Ignoring climate risks may reduce costs on paper today, but it raises the national tab for tomorrow”

Trump officials frame this pro-fossil fuel stance as a defense against ‘radical environmental socialism’. Despite significant market momentum behind renewables, federal policy now clearly favors traditional energy industries.

Social and environmental justice

One of the most conspicuous absences in Trump’s sustainability agenda is any serious attention to environmental justice. The Justice40 initiative, which aimed to direct 40 percent of climate and clean energy investments to disadvantaged communities, has been scrapped. Protections for communities disproportionately impacted by pollution and climate change have been weakened, and the administration has shown little interest in engaging with Indigenous groups or environmental advocates. Critics argue this exacerbates existing inequalities, leaving marginalized communities more vulnerable to environmental degradation and economic displacement.

The short-term economic wins

The Trump administration continues to frame sustainability through a narrow economic lens, prioritizing job growth, energy independence and deregulation. To be fair, the energy sector, particularly oil and gas, has seen short-term job gains. But this short-term economic boost masks deeper concerns. Climate-related disasters continue to inflict massive costs on infrastructure, agriculture and public health. Ignoring climate risks may reduce costs on paper today, but it raises the national tab for tomorrow.

Déjà Vu or decline?

The second Trump administration’s sustainability policy can best be described as a reboot of its first-season script. While supporters praise the emphasis on deregulation and domestic energy, the broader sustainability outlook is grim: climate action has stalled, environmental protections are in retreat, and the US is once again estranged from global efforts to confront the threat of climate change.

Still, as was the case in Trump’s first term, states, cities, private companies and individuals are stepping up to fill the federal void. Grassroots climate action is gaining momentum, and courts are already bracing for a new wave of litigation to block the administration’s more aggressive rollbacks.

In the end, sustainability in the second Trump administration may not be dead, but it’s certainly being held hostage in a coal-powered bunker.

Rosalyn Bandy is VP of sustainability for TLMI. For more information about TLMI sustainability, contact Rosalyn.bandy@tlmi.com. For information about TLMI membership, contact the engagement director, dale.coates@tlmi.com