Donald Trump’s “Encore Performance”: A Sequel We Never Asked For

Donald Trump’s “Encore Performance”: A Sequel We Never Asked For

In case you missed it (and really, who could?), Donald Trump clinched another presidential victory, bringing with him the kind of environmental policies that make you long for the good old days of smog-filled skies and rivers that smell like industrial cleaner. That’s right, folks, it’s déjà vu all over again—get ready for another round of environmental rollbacks that will make it even harder to breathe, drink, or dare we say, *exist*.

Trump, in his infinite wisdom, explained to Joe Rogan (because where else would you go for a nuanced policy discussion?) that “environmental [regulation] is the biggest tool for stopping growth… it costs much more to do things environmentally clean.” Ah yes, the old "clean air is a luxury we can’t afford" line. Classic. And don't worry—Trump assured us that under his reign, the US had “the cleanest air and cleanest water” ever. Not a trace of irony in that statement, right? 

**The First Time Around: When “Clean Air” Meant More Like "Let's Make America Gassy Again"**

If you remember the last time Trump was president (and really, how could you forget?), he was busy dismantling air and water protections with the sort of enthusiasm usually reserved for people who think a clean ocean is just a marketing gimmick. Over 100 regulations were tossed in the trash, including the Obama-era Clean Power Plan (RIP), which aimed to reduce carbon pollution from power plants—oh, and by the way, cleaned up some other pollutants too. But who needs clean air when you’ve got *growth*, right?

As a result, the Trump administration's "alternative" to the Clean Power Plan was a heartwarming proposal that could lead to 1,400 premature deaths and 48,000 extra asthma cases a year by 2030. It’s almost like they were trying to set a new record for air pollution-induced illness. Gold stars all around.

**Climate Justice: The New Normal... So, Basically, Battle Stations**

Fast forward to today, and environmental groups are already bracing for impact. Health and environmental advocates are gearing up for a serious showdown, with KD Chavez, executive director of the Climate Justice Alliance, laying it out for us. “We really, really need to focus on building more power at the local, tribal, and state levels…” she said, sounding remarkably like someone preparing for a rebellion against a particularly persistent villain. Yes, it’s going to be *that* kind of battle, folks. 

After all, who better to handle pollution and climate justice than local and regional folks who understand the urgency? They’ve seen the writing on the wall after Trump slashed more than 100 environmental regulations last time. One of the casualties? The Clean Power Plan. RIP.

**Trump 2.0: When You Thought It Couldn’t Get Worse, He Puts on His Cape**

Now, if you thought Trump’s last term was bad for the environment, wait until you see the *Project 2025* blueprint. This new manifesto (because why not give it a dramatic name, right?) is a collection of suggestions written by former Trump officials—because who knows more about the environment than the people who’ve spent the last few years trying to make it harder to breathe? 

One of the key suggestions? A *major reorganization* of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—you know, the agency that’s supposed to protect the environment. Naturally, this reorganization would involve slashing staff, eliminating entire departments, and axing programs that are deemed "duplicative" or "wasteful," which seems to imply that the whole EPA is, at best, a nuisance. A source of clean air? Nah, that’s *superfluous*.

**Corporate Capture: The New Big Business BFFs**

It gets better. Trump’s administration, when it wasn’t busy gutting environmental regulations, was also offering sweet deals to big corporations and fossil fuel moguls. And now, with Project 2025, the plan includes filling key positions with corporate operatives. Because nothing screams “We care about the environment” like letting the very industries that pollute it run the show. I mean, it’s almost *too* poetic, right?

And don’t even get us started on Elon Musk. On the campaign trail, Trump joked about making Musk his “secretary of cost-cutting,” which sounds like a dystopian reality TV show, but hey, why not? Musk’s companies are under fire for, among other things, polluting the environment. But sure, let’s put him in charge of cost-cutting. As one does.

**Climate Change: A Disaster in the Making**

In the realm of energy policy, Trump’s stance is crystal clear: “We will DRILL, BABY, DRILL!” Because if there’s one thing we need more of in this world, it’s oil, gas, and utter disregard for the planet’s future. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has been busy trying to clean up Trump’s mess, with major climate bills like the Inflation Reduction Act, which aims to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030. But don’t worry—Trump’s already promised to cancel all unspent funds from that bill, so we can all look forward to *more drilling* and *less planet-saving*.

**Environmental Advocates: Enter the Underdogs**

But wait! There is hope, or at least there’s a group of environmental advocates who refuse to give up. After all, they’ve been here before. Many state and local leaders have been preparing for this moment since 2016, when the Trump administration first set about reversing decades of environmental progress. And sure, they’ve had to fight every step of the way, but if there’s one thing they’re good at, it’s pulling together to fill in the gaps when federal leadership goes AWOL.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is already putting its legal team to work, having filed 163 cases against the Trump administration before—and winning nearly 90% of them. So, if Trump tries to gut more environmental protections or follow through with his Project 2025 vision, they’ll be ready to stand in the way, metaphorically and literally, with a lawsuit. After all, if history has taught us anything, it's that when Trump takes a step forward for big business, environmentalists will take two steps back—with lawyers.

**The Final Act: An Environmental Trainwreck, Coming Soon**

In the end, it’s clear that Trump’s environmental legacy is a tale of profits over people, pollution over progress. From the disastrous impact of his first term on climate progress to the terrifying vision of what could come next with Project 2025, the story is one that reads like a cautionary tale for our planet. But hey, at least there’s one thing we can count on: environmental advocates will be right there, fighting to save the air, water, and future generations from the kind of policies that turn us all into canaries in a coal mine.

But don’t worry, the climate crisis will only get worse, right? That’s how you know Trump is serious about *making America great again*—one coal-powered disaster at a time.