Edward Russo, the sole member of the White House Environmental Advisory Task Force, insists President Trump deserves credit for conservation efforts, particularly at his golf courses. Russo, who chairs the panel, points to Trump's 2022 promise not to build a resort at the Trump National Doral Golf Club in Miami as a significant environmental move, securing a conservation-easement tax break estimated at up to $323 million. Trump National Doral Golf Club became a focal point for Russo's argument. However, Russo's claims face strong opposition from environmental groups like the Sierra Club, which accuses him of 'greenwashing' Trump's record. Sierra Club executive director Loren Blackford stated the Trump administration is 'the most anti-environment administration in American history,' countering Russo's narrative.

Russo's role as a former Trump Organization consultant on golf course sustainability lends context to his defense, though critics question his influence and the task force's lack of public output.