President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on green energy tax credits included in his administration’s budget reconciliation bill, calling them a “giant SCAM” in a Truth Social post on Saturday.
Newsweek has reached out the White House via email on Saturday for comment.
Why It Matters
Trump’s opposition to green tax credits represents a dramatic shift from renewable energy policies that have driven hundreds of billions in U.S. clean energy investments since 2022 during former President Joe Biden’s administration.
Industry analysts warn that eliminating these incentives could cede America’s competitive edge in clean technology manufacturing to China, potentially impacting national security and economic competitiveness.
The budget reconciliation bill’s passage could fundamentally reshape America’s energy landscape and manufacturing priorities.
What To Know
The president specifically targeted wind energy, claiming windmills are “the most expensive and inefficient energy in the world” and are “destroying the beauty of the environment.”
The budget bill, currently moving through the Senate, would extend Trump’s first-term tax cuts while eliminating or limiting clean energy incentives. The proposed legislation would phase out tax credits for electric vehicles, home energy efficiency improvements, and wind and solar farm development.
In his post, Trump claimed windmills are “10 times more costly than any other energy” and criticized government subsidies supporting renewable projects. However, Department of Energy (DOE) data contradicts these claims, showing wind and solar projects have become more economically competitive than gas, coal, or nuclear facilities.
The International Renewable Energy Agency reported that onshore wind costs fell 68 percent in 2021, with capacity increasing four-fold from 2010 to 2021.
Trump’s windmill criticism extends beyond economics to aesthetics and environmental concerns, though his previous claims about turbines killing whales lack scientific evidence. The president has vowed not to subsidize new windmill farms during his second term, stating he doesn’t “want even one built.”
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump on Truth Social on Saturday: “I HATE ‘GREEN TAX CREDITS’ IN THE GREAT, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL. They are largely a giant SCAM. I would much prefer that this money be used somewhere else, including reductions. ‘Anywhere’ would be preferable! Windmills, and the rest of this ‘JUNK,’ are the most expensive and inefficient energy in the world, is destroying the beauty of the environment, and is 10 times more costly than any other energy.”
He added: “None of it works without massive government subsidy (energy should NOT NEED SUBSIDY!). Also, it is almost exclusively made in China!!! It is time to break away, finally, from this craziness!!!
Elon Musk, in a post X, reposted his company Tesla Energy’s post that warns against ending the energy tax credits in May: “Abruptly ending the energy tax credits would threaten America’s energy independence and the reliability of our grid – we urge the senate to enact legislation with a sensible wind down of 25D and 48e. This will ensure continued speedy deployment of over 60 GW capacity per year to support AI and domestic manufacturing growth.”
Mike Carr, Solar Energy Manufacturers for America, previously told Newsweek: “A vote for this bill was a vote to close U.S. factories and concede manufacturing jobs of the most important energy resource of the 21st century to China.”
Abigail Ross Hopper, Solar Energy Industries Association, previously told Newsweek: “If this bill becomes law, America will effectively surrender the AI race to China and communities nationwide will face blackouts.”
What Happens Next?
The Senate will consider the budget reconciliation bill, with clean energy advocates mobilizing opposition to the proposed cuts.
Update 6/21/25, 7:51 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
