Trump Orders DOJ to Block State Climate Laws

President Trump has signed an executive order aimed at blocking state laws and regulations related to climate change, which the administration views as unconstitutional and detrimental to U.S. energy dominance. The order empowers the Attorney General to identify and challenge laws from states like California, New York, and Vermont that impose penalties on fossil fuel companies or enforce cap-and-trade systems. Trump asserts that these state actions threaten American energy production and national security, claiming they create burdensome legal challenges for energy producers. In response, governors from the U.S. Climate Alliance, led by New York's Kathy Hochul and New Mexico's Michelle Lujan Grisham, have stated that they will continue their climate initiatives and resist federal overreach. The American Petroleum Institute welcomed the executive order, viewing it as a necessary step to hold states accountable for what they see as unconstitutional policies. This move solidifies the ongoing conflict between federal energy priorities and state-led climate action efforts.