Trump at CPAC 2025: Emphasizing Fossil Fuels and Climate Denial

At CPAC 2025, Donald Trump and various conservative leaders emphasized a rejection of climate initiatives, promoting fossil fuel deregulation and criticizing Biden’s environmental policies. Trump’s speech featured unfounded claims against climate measures, while former UK PM Liz Truss and U.S. officials echoed similar sentiments. The event showcased a blend of political ambitions and a noticeable absence of rigorous scientific discourse on climate matters.

At the 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), former President Donald Trump criticized climate initiatives and reiterated his commitment to fossil fuel deregulation, drawing praise from conservative leaders such as Vice President JD Vance and Elon Musk. Trump boasted about his administration’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and attempted to frame the Green New Deal as a fraudulent scheme, claiming it had negative impacts on the U.S. economy.

In his speech, Trump dismissed Joe Biden’s environmental policies, stating they mandated electric vehicles, despite their existence in stricter pollution regulations rather than a mandatory switch. He made a peculiar remark about hydrogen cars, suggesting their alleged dangers with no basis in fact. Trump’s address mainly focused on anti-environmental rhetoric rather than scientific discourse.

Former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss criticized environmental policies in Britain, expressing her frustration over the reinstatement of a fracking ban. She linked net-zero policies to economic decline, highlighting the closure of steel production facilities. Truss advocated for dismantling what she termed the ‘deep state’ and called for restoring traditional governmental powers, invoking Trump’s rhetoric during her address.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright endorsed Trump’s aggressive energy policies, vowing to cut regulations to enhance fossil fuel production. He articulated an urgency to keep up with China in energy technology, particularly regarding artificial intelligence, emphasizing the necessity of securing U.S. dominance in this sector.

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy’s potential political ambitions were evident at CPAC, with calls to position Alaska as a solution to energy challenges. He spotlighted their joint natural gas project targeting Asian markets, illustrating a shift in energy alliance priorities. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum acknowledged ambitions to exploit public lands for economic gains.

Among the exhibitors, the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) represented the lone climate-focused group, promoting climate change skepticism amid broader conservative discussions on culture war issues. They aimed to challenge leftist ideologies on college campuses, highlighting the need for diverse perspectives. CFACT’s funding sources were not explicitly clarified, indicative of the complex financial landscape facing climate-denying organizations.

The 2025 CPAC highlighted a firm commitment among conservatives to reject climate policies, focusing on fossil fuel priorities and anti-regulatory rhetoric. Trump’s leadership and assertions against Biden’s environmental standards underscored a broader skepticism towards climate change science, reflecting a shift in conservative discourse. The conference also illustrated the intersection of economic policy, climate denial, and political ambitions within the GOP’s current framework.

Original Source: www.desmog.com