President Trump rallied support for Elon Musk’s car company, but there may not be enough conservatives willing to buy electric cars to make up for the Democrats who now shun Teslas.
Experts say that President Trump may be able to slow the transition away from fossil fuels, but he won’t be able to stop it completely.
The backlash against the electric vehicle company has intensified as the billionaire ally of President Trump exerts his power over the federal government.
The administration is setting the stage for Congress to repeal a longstanding waiver that allows California to set its own pollution standards. State officials say the effort is illegal.
The funding, approved by Congress and overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency, had been blocked since January, when President Trump ordered a pause and review of climate and clean energy programs.
The state will no longer require some truckers to shift away from diesel semis but hopes that subsidies can keep dreams of pollution-free big rigs alive.
About 80 percent of manufacturing investments spurred by a Biden-era climate law have flowed to Republican districts. Efforts to stop federal payments are already causing pain.
Some have halted work on the Biden-era $5 billion program to build E.V. charging stations. Others plan to keep building. Most are confused.
The order is the latest Trump administration effort against Biden-era initiatives that intended to promote electric vehicles and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Legal experts said the president was testing the boundaries of executive power with aggressive orders designed to stop the country from transitioning to renewable energy.