Trump’s climate rollbacks may be less permanent than they appear

One year into his presidency, Donald Trump has delivered on campaign promises to dramatically reshape America’s climate and energy policies. From declaring a “national energy emergency” and withdrawing from the Paris Agreement to eliminating electric vehicle subsidies and reopening coastlines to drilling, the administration has pursued what many consider the most comprehensive reversal of environmental priorities in U.S. history.

The impacts have been immediate and tangible. The EPA delayed methane emission requirements for oil and gas operators, while the Interior Department invested $625 million to prop up the struggling coal industry. Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” eliminated tax credits for wind and solar energy, leading some companies to abandon clean energy projects entirely.

However, environmental law experts suggest that much of this apparent damage may be less permanent than it seems. Most of Trump’s actions rely on executive orders rather than legislation, making them vulnerable to reversal by future administrations. Federal courts have already begun pushing back—judges in Rhode Island and New York recently allowed offshore wind projects to resume construction despite Trump’s attempts to halt them.

The administration’s approach appears driven more by political theater than lasting policy change. Trump’s efforts to revive coal, for instance, cannot overcome the fundamental economic reality that natural gas and solar energy have become significantly cheaper. As one expert noted, the focus seems to be on “political dominance over lasting change”—a strategy that generates headlines but builds fragile policy foundations that may not survive beyond Trump’s presidency.