President Donald Trump launched a new push to revive the U.S. coal sector during a chaotic press briefing that swung between energy policy and his obsession with Washington monuments. Trump claimed clean coal would slash energy costs, ignoring that coal remains the second‑most expensive power source after nuclear.

Coal now supplies only about 15 % of national electricity, down from over half a decade ago, as cheaper wind and solar power surge. New plants have stalled for more than ten years, while coal’s high emissions and toxic ash make it a costly environmental burden. For the industry and the planet today, a bleak sign.

The administration’s rhetoric ignores the fact that coal’s operating costs exceed those of renewables and nuclear, and that its combustion releases the most greenhouse gases per unit of energy. Critics argue that any subsidy would only inflate prices for consumers while worsening climate outcomes and increase their tax burden to cover future energy crises today.

Given that no new coal plants have been commissioned in the last decade, the push risks diverting federal funds from proven clean‑energy projects. The move signals a broader strategy to protect fossil‑fuel interests at the expense of sustainable growth, leaving American consumers with higher bills and a larger carbon footprint and a sharper climate penalty.