Trump Administration Rolls Back Obama-Era Climate Change Policy, Citing Deregulation
WASHINGTON - In a move that drew immediate criticism from environmental groups, former President Donald Trump revoked a key Obama-era ruling that determined greenhouse gases endanger public health. The announcement, which the White House called the "largest deregulation in American history," was made on Thursday and is expected to lower costs for automakers.
The 2009 "endangerment finding" had served as the legal foundation for federal efforts to curb emissions, particularly from vehicles. According to BBC World, the Trump administration framed the rollback as a political victory over the Democratic Party's environmental agenda. The president stated he was revoking the finding, which held that pollution harms public health and the environment. This action is one of the most significant moves of his second term in office.
The decision is expected to make cars cheaper, potentially reducing costs for automakers by $2,400 per vehicle, according to the White House. Environmental groups, however, have voiced strong opposition, calling the move a significant setback for climate change efforts.
In other news, the US immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota will end, according to Tom Homan, President Trump's border tsar. Homan said Trump had approved his request to conclude the operation and would stay in Minnesota to oversee the drawdown. The operation, known as Operation Metro Surge, resulted in the detention of many illegal immigrants who had committed violent crimes, but also sparked nationwide protests.
Also on Thursday, a top US official responsible for suing companies over mergers resigned, sparking alarm among critics. Gail Slater, who led the antitrust division at the Department of Justice (DOJ), announced her resignation, citing a sense of "abiding hope." Her departure is seen by some as a sign the White House is backing away from anti-monopoly enforcement.
In a separate development, an AI safety researcher at Anthropic resigned with a warning that the "world is in peril." Mrinank Sharma, who shared his resignation letter on X, cited concerns about AI, bioweapons, and the state of the wider world as his reasons for leaving. He plans to pursue writing and poetry and relocate to the UK.
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