Since becoming President in January 2025, Donald Trump has completely transformed the United States energy policy to focus on fossil fuels and nuclear power, while reducing emphasis on renewable energy. The Trump administration is well on its way to undoing much of the progress made towards a green transition seen under the former Biden administration.
As the mid-term elections approach, the Democratic Party has stated some of its plans for the energy sector, should it gain power again. While the Democratic and Republican Parties seem to disagree on issues of fossil fuel expansion and green energy, the two align more closely when it comes to nuclear power.
Senator Chuck Schumer Announces Energy Plans
In late March, the minority leader of Congress, Senator Chuck Schumer, addressed the environmental group the League of Conservation Voters.
If the Democrats win control of Congress in the mid-term elections this November, they plan to try to restore and expand tax credits for wind and solar power and other renewable energy that have been cut or reduced by the Trump administration over the last year. Meanwhile, Schumer said the party aims to cut $18 billion in new tax incentives for oil, gas, and coal companies.
To give the Democrats enough power to achieve these changes, the party would have to win veto-proof majorities in both chambers of Congress, which it could only achieve by winning a landslide victory in the elections.
Schumer said the move would be part of a larger plan to cut consumer costs, which have risen significantly in recent months. Energy prices have been driven up further since the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran due to the almost complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has restricted energy trade between Europe and Asia.
Countering Rising Consumer Prices
Oil prices rose by 6% on April 20th due to uncertainty over peace talks between the U.S. and Iran. This was after a 9% decrease on April 18th, following a statement by Iran saying that passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz would be permitted for the remainder of the indefinite ceasefire between the powers. The threat of ongoing conflict has led to greater price volatility across several fossil fuel products.
To counter rising consumer prices, “We have to just build more clean energy,” said Schumer. The senator said he planned to prioritize a bipartisan effort to make it easier to construct new infrastructure, expand the amount of energy available on the grid, upgrade transmission lines across the country, and ensure data centers “pay their fair share” of taxes and energy infrastructure costs.
“Trump’s attacks on clean energy, and the price spikes it has caused for American families, is a unique opportunity to expand our movement,” said Schumer. “We can bring new voters and allies into the fight for a cleaner environment by showing how clean energy is affordable energy,” he added.
Republican Response
The White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers criticized Schumer’s plan, suggesting that returning to Biden-era energy policy would be a step backwards.
“It is idiotic of Democrat leaders to double down on Joe Biden’s unpopular, costly, and failed Green New Scam,” Rogers said in a statement, in reference to the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, the most far-reaching U.S. climate policy to date. “These are the exact same policies that created an energy crisis which skyrocketed gas and electricity prices,” he added.
Democratic States Feel Consumer Pressure
While Schumer suggested that the Democrats would support a return to Biden-era energy policies at the federal level – with a focus on renewable energy expansion – several Democrat-majority states have been forced to backtrack on their green energy policies.
With greater pressure from the Trump administration to halt renewable energy expansion and instead focus on fossil fuels and nuclear energy development, several Democratic states have not been able to progress with their clean energy ambitions. In addition, greater pressure from consumers to reduce energy bills has meant that several states cannot justify the cost of developing new renewable energy projects – even if they could cut bills in the long-term.
The Nuclear Question
One thing that both the Democratic and Republican Parties seem to agree on is nuclear power. Democrats and Republicans in Congress support expanding nuclear power, a sentiment that has been echoed in recent public opinion polls.
Developing new nuclear power plants is expected to help boost energy security through diversification, without a reliance on renewable energy. With greater public support for nuclear power and significant sectoral innovation, many politicians see it as the most reliable way to deliver abundant, clean power.
The results of the mid-term elections could determine the direction in which U.S. energy policy is taken in the coming years. While a Republican win will support the continuance of Trump’s fossil fuel-driven energy policy, a Democratic Party landslide could lead to greater diversification efforts.
Keep In Touch with Shale Magazine
As the new era of energy unfolds, you can bet we’ll be the boots on the ground to keep you informed. Subscribe to Shale Magazine for sharp insight into the arenas that matter most to your life. And don’t forget to listen to our riveting podcast, The Energy Mixx Radio Show, where our very own Kym Bolado interviews the most extraordinary thought leaders, business innovators, and industry experts of our time.
Subscribe to get more posts from Felicity Bradstock
