Polluting for profit is profitable
As we all know by now, MAGA politics hates climate science research, and climate laws and regulations. As part of their anti-public interest holy war, Trump and MAGA elites have almost completely destroyed the EPA and other pro-public interest federal research programs.
A few weeks ago, Trump proposed a 52% budget cut for the EPA’s climate and public health research. He cynically smeared EPA research as “Green New Scam spending”. a prestigious scientific arm of the federal government did groundbreaking research aimed at saving American lives. It studied fertility, asthma, wildfires, drinking water, climate change and myriad other health threats. In just 15 months, Trump has almost completely dismantled EPA research. About 1,500 biologists, chemists and other experts at the EPA’s Office of Research and Development have been laid off, reassigned or pressured to retire. Only 124 researchers remain, and those are under pressure to go away.
A few weeks ago, Trump proposed a 52% budget cut for the EPA’s climate and public health research. He cynically smeared EPA research as “Green New Scam spending”. a prestigious scientific arm of the federal government did groundbreaking research aimed at saving American lives. It studied fertility, asthma, wildfires, drinking water, climate change and myriad other health threats. In just 15 months, Trump has almost completely dismantled EPA research. About 1,500 biologists, chemists and other experts at the EPA’s Office of Research and Development have been laid off, reassigned or pressured to retire. Only 124 researchers remain, and those are under pressure to go away.
Experts
point out that Trump’s wrecking ball to dismantle EPA research
seriously weakens the government’s ability to protect public
health. But that is the point. So for Trump, MAGA elites and
businesses that pollute for profit, the death of EPA research is a
huge MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!! moment. For the public
interest and public health, it’s a huge kick in the pants.
In
other dismal anti-public interest science news, Trump's FY2027 budget
proposes 54% cuts to NSF, 47% to NASA Science, 28% to NIST, 13% to
DOE Office of Science, 10% to NIH, and eliminating NOAA research
funding. In essence, MAGA extremism isn obliterating all federal
research. The damage to America’s science infrastructure is
catastrophic. Assuming the federal government ever returns to
pro-science policy, the damage will take years to repair, assuming
American science can be returned to something at least fairly close
to MAGA’s anti-science mindset. Link,
link,
link
On
top of budget cuts and getting rid of experts, Trump and MAGA elites
have shut down enforcement of environmental laws and regulations. The
goal is to free violators to expand pollution without much or any
concern for public health. For example in Jan. 2025, Trump froze all
existing environmental litigation and settlement negotiations. He
reassigned senior Dept. of Justice environmental enforcement chiefs
to immigration work, gutting the federal enforcement effort. Last
March, he also sent EPA enforcement employees memo (1) requiring
political appointee (Trump sycophants) approval for cases against
major polluters, and (2) completely barring enforcement actions from
interfering with any phase of energy production. Link,
link
In
addition, Trump's April 2025 executive order directed the US Attorney
General to take all appropriate action to stop the enforcement of
state climate laws, specifically targeting California, New York, and
Vermont cap-and-trade programs, carbon taxes, and lawsuits against
oil companies. Trump also eliminated supplemental environmental
projects from pollution settlements, barring EPA from including
cleanup projects in agreements with polluters. DOJ terminated
environmental justice investigations and settlement agreements in
April 2025. An April 2025 executive order directed EPA to revise
environmental regulations to automatically terminate by October 2026.
Link, link,
link
Big oil 💓 Trump!
Public opinion
Gallup's March 2-18, 2026 Environment poll found
Americans’ environmental assessments at their bleakest levels: only
35% rated environmental quality as excellent or good (a record low),
while a near-record high 66% said the environment’s quality is
worsening. A record-low 63% believe the government is not doing
enough to protect the environment. Despite Trump's rollbacks,
majorities prioritize environmental quality over economic growth
(58%) and energy development (57%). Over 60% of voters believe clean
energy development should be a high or very high priority for the
President and Congress. Finally, a December 2025 poll indicated that
66% of registered voters favor transitioning the US economy
completely from fossil fuels to clean energy by 2050. Link,
link,
link
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