Trump Pushes Back against Renewable Energy
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The US Department of Agriculture will no longer back wind and solar projects on productive farmland, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Monday on X.
The decision marks another step by US President Donald Trump’s administration to slow the expansion of renewable energy. Trump has previously criticized wind and solar as “unreliable, costly, and tied to Chinese supply chains.”
“Millions of acres of fertile farmland have been left idle so that Green New Deal–subsidized solar panels could be installed,” Rollins wrote. “This destruction of farmland and prime soil robs future generations of farmers and endangers the future of our country.”
The USDA has allocated more than $2 billion to renewable energy efforts, including wind and solar projects, under its Rural Energy for America Program, according to agency data. The department has also provided backing for clean energy initiatives in rural electric cooperatives.
A USDA study published in 2024 found that only about 424,000 acres of rural land were affected by solar and wind projects—less than 0.05% of the nearly 900 million acres of US farmland. The report noted that most of the land remained in agricultural use even after the projects were developed.
The move stands in sharp contrast to the policies of former President Joe Biden, whose administration promoted clean energy development in rural areas to reduce emissions and lower energy costs.
Environmental experts say Trump’s reversal represents a significant setback in the fight against climate change and undermines global efforts to transition toward renewable energy.
