Responding to the United States President Donald Trump’s State of the Union Address, 350.org says that Trump’s “Golden Age” rhetoric masks a hard truth: his administration’s defense of fossil fuels is costing everyday people, who face soaring energy bills and ever-higher utility debt.
350.org pointed out that while President Trump boasted of record-high oil and gas production during his first year, he has failed to fulfill his campaign promise to cut energy prices by half. On the contrary, average electricity prices over the past year in the US have risen by 6.7%, according to an analysis of data by the Energy Information Administration . Meanwhile, around 21 million American families were in arrears on their utility bills, with the average overdue amount climbing by nearly a third since 2023, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association.
Experts say that the increase in electricity prices are driven by rising LNG exports, delayed closure of costly coal plants, AI-driven energy demands, blocking of solar and wind projects, and elimination of energy-efficiency tax credits.
350.org called President Trump’s so-called ‘ratepayer protection pledges’ asking AI data centers to provide their own power as a “theatrical stunt” with no enforceable mechanism, and which risks ramping up costly fossil fuel production to meet unchecked energy demand.
“It is a Golden Age–but only for fossil fuel companies that poured $96 million into the Trump administration. For the millions of Americans who cannot afford to pay their energy bills, it is like heading back to the dark ages. The Trump administration cannot claim to stand for American consumers while blocking progress in renewables, the cheapest form of energy available today. It cannot champion affordability while doubling down on a highly volatile gas market and driving conflicts that inevitably increase energy prices everywhere,” Anne Jellema, 350.org executive director said.
350.org also cites a recent poll that shows 97% of nearly 1500 business executives across 15 major global economies support the transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy, citing competitive edge and long-term energy security.
“Trump’s bravado cannot disguise the fundamental insecurity at the heart of his administration: fossil fuels are increasingly unviable, and even businesses want to move on. Around the world, people are demanding and building a clean, affordable energy future, with or without the US government,” Jellema added.
Media Contact:
Kim Bryan, 350.org Media Strategy and Relations Manager, [email protected], +447770881503
Ilang-Ilang Quijano, 350.org Media Campaigner, [email protected], +639175810934