Trump loosens fuel regulations – what about the environment?

Trump loosens fuel regulations – what about the environment?

US President Donald Trump announced the easing of fuel consumption requirements for cars and light commercial vehicles in a press conference today, December 3, 2025. Trump described his predecessor Joe Biden's regulations as "ridiculous and unacceptable." At the event were high-ranking executives from several automotive companies, including Antonio Filosa from Stellantis and Jim Farley from Ford. The latter announced that he would offer more “affordable” vehicles in the US market.

The new guidelines aim to reduce average fuel consumption to 34.5 miles per gallon (about 6.8 liters per 100 kilometers), while previous Biden guidelines for the 2031 model year called for a figure of about 50 miles per gallon (about 4.7 liters per 100 kilometers). Biden introduced the standards to relieve consumers while protecting the environment. However, many car manufacturers have struggled to meet these high requirements and have had to invest large amounts of money to achieve the new standards.

Setbacks in environmental policy

Trump also announced that the US government plans to stop trading in emissions rights from model year 2028. This could have particular implications for companies like Tesla, which rely on it to improve their balance sheets. Current developments in California show that the state, which is often seen as a pioneer on environmental issues, is having to accept setbacks: In the spring, an exemption that allowed it to set its own stricter regulations was revoked.

The new head of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Lee Zeldin, also plans to roll back dozens of regulations introduced under previous administrations. According to [Tagesschau](https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/ Amerika/us-umweltbehoerde-regulations-100.html) it is the “most consequential day of deregulation in American history”. Zeldin sees the changes as a way to lower the cost of living for American families. But environmentalists protesting these measures warn of a looming legal battle.

In addition to the new fuel specifications, the planned changes also include higher greenhouse gas emissions for power plants, more exhaust gases from cars and tractors and an increase in production volumes for oil and gas companies. Another point of concern is the EPA's intention to exempt approximately 8,000 companies from reporting their greenhouse gas emissions. According to Zeit, this would make it more difficult to calculate total US greenhouse gas emissions, which critics perceive as a step in the wrong direction.

Demand and support

The focus of criticism is particularly on the decision that coal-fired power plants no longer have to operate in an almost climate-neutral manner by 2032 and that many previous environmental data that are important for political decisions will no longer be collected. In the long term, these measures could severely limit efforts to combat climate change. It remains to be seen how the planned deregulations will affect the lives of US citizens and to what extent they can be stopped by the courts.

It is clear that U.S. environmental policy under Trump is entering a new, less restrictive phase—one that in many quarters is raising both hopes for a lower cost of living and concerns about the environmental future. However, whether this is the right direction remains the question that will determine the coming weeks and months.