Senate Democrats: Trump's 'Energy Policy Has Failed'

Utility bills in the US have climbed 11% on average during President Trump's second term, despite his campaign promises to slash energy costs, according to a new analysis cited by Democratic senators in a letter to the president. The data, compiled by the clean energy group Climate Power and based on figures from the US Energy Information Administration, highlights rising utility prices since Trump returned to the White House in January. Trump had pledged to cut electricity prices in half by 2026. The letter—led by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and signed by Oregon's Jeff Merkley and Massachusetts' Ed Markey—blames the price hike on Trump's energy policies, including support for coal and other fossil fuels, per the Guardian.

The senators argue that the administration's push to expand fossil fuel use, coupled with opposition to wind and solar projects, has stifled the growth of cleaner, cheaper energy options. They claim more than 12 million homes could have been powered by renewable projects that have been canceled or delayed since Trump's re-election. "In effect, you have created a massive cut in energy supply," the letter reads. The senators say about 150,000 clean energy jobs have been lost or stalled under Trump's leadership, with another 150,000 at risk. They also point to proposed cuts to federal programs like the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and Energy Star, which they say have helped Americans save on energy costs in the past.

The administration's tariffs on imported goods are also cited as a factor driving up the cost of power transmission materials. "With heating costs set to soar this winter," the letter ultimately calls on Trump "to admit that your energy policy has failed and to reverse course before it is too late." In response, a White House spokesperson said Democrats should "spend less time writing letters, and more time reversing their green energy policies that drove electricity prices up." The rep, Taylor Rogers, went on to describe wind and solar power as "unreliable and costly."