“greenlash” defines 2025 as trump administration reverses climate progress and public discourse shifts away from environmental action

The year 2025 marked a dramatic reversal in America’s climate momentum, with environmental experts coining “greenlash” as the defining term for the political and social backlash against climate action that swept the nation. After years of unprecedented climate legislation under President Biden, Trump’s return to office brought an immediate halt to environmental progress through aggressive rollbacks of climate policies, withdrawal from global commitments, and promotion of “energy dominance” centered on fossil fuel production.

This reactionary shift extended far beyond Washington, creating a chilling effect across American society. Corporations quietly shelved their climate commitments, Democratic politicians avoided terms like “planetary emergency,” and media coverage of environmental issues declined significantly. The administration’s rhetoric transformed climate change into a politically radioactive topic, with phrases like “clean energy” and “climate science” disappearing from government websites. Trump’s “Green New Scam” catchphrase became a rallying cry that rebranded climate action as conspiracy, despite Congress never having passed an actual Green New Deal.

The backlash manifested in unexpected ways throughout 2025. Tesla faced mounting protests and plummeting sales after CEO Elon Musk’s controversial gestures at Trump’s inauguration, leading activists to coin the term “swasticars” for the vehicles. Meanwhile, extreme weather events continued devastating communities nationwide, from deadly Los Angeles fires to catastrophic Texas flooding, contributing to a phenomenon called “rain anxiety” among survivors of climate disasters. Despite the political shift, polling showed two-thirds of Americans remain concerned about climate change, highlighting a disconnect between public sentiment and political priorities.