In his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, former President Donald Trump focused heavily on opposing President Joe Biden’s electric vehicle policies, vowing to end what he referred to as the “electric vehicle mandate” on his first day back in office. Trump claimed this move would save the US auto industry and significantly reduce costs for consumers. Trump’s comments targeted the new air-pollution limits issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, which critics argue effectively push automakers towards EV production. Trump’s speech also addressed concerns from corn growers and ethanol producers about the potential impact of emission standards on ethanol-blended gasoline demand .
Additionally, Trump criticized clean energy initiatives, labeling them as part of a “green new scam” and proposed redirecting funds towards infrastructure projects like roads and bridges. He linked this critique to the Inflation Reduction Act, which he promised to repurpose away from clean energy towards more traditional infrastructure spending. On trade, Trump highlighted his past administration’s achievements, including the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and reiterated his stance on imposing tariffs on foreign-made autos to boost domestic manufacturing. His vice-presidential pick, J.D. Vance, echoed these sentiments, blaming trade with low-wage countries for job losses in manufacturing communities.
