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3471President Donald Trump spoke at the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner in Washington this week, where he criticized wind energy and outlined his plan to revive coal production across the country.
He used the high-profile fundraiser to double down on his long-standing criticisms of renewable energy and frame fossil fuels as central to the nation’s future.
“Anybody have a windmill by your house?, Congratulations, you’ll never sell your house,” Trump said to laughter from the audience.
“And today I signed historic executive orders to unleash coal production to the highest levels ever,” he added.
Trump, who has waged a personal and political campaign against wind turbines for nearly two decades, claimed they are the “most expensive form of energy that you can have, by far,” despite consistent government and independent research showing otherwise.
He said they hurt property values, kill wildlife, and can’t be relied on. He described wind turbines as “bird cemeteries,” and suggested they were a threat to daily life.
The Scotland Feud That Sparked It All
Trump’s opposition to wind power began with a personal feud. In 2006, he bought land for a golf course along the coast in Scotland and later learned that an offshore wind farm was planned nearby.
Worried it would ruin the view, Trump filed complaints and tried to block the project. He called the wind farm “an ugly cloud hanging over the future of the great Scottish coastline.”
That wind farm was completed in 2018 and now produces enough power for 80,000 homes. Scotland has since surpassed its electricity needs with renewable energy.
Still, Trump continues to bring up the incident as evidence of what he sees as wind power’s flaws.
Wind Paused, Coal Revived
He signed an executive order to pause all federal approvals for new wind projects.
He repeated false or misleading claims that wind turbines hurt whales and kill migratory birds, despite data showing that buildings, vehicles, and domestic cats are far greater threats to wildlife.
Studies suggest simple measures, such as painting one turbine blade black, can dramatically reduce bird deaths.
Trump also took aim at hydrogen-powered vehicles and the Biden administration’s clean energy policies.
“We don’t want hydrogen because they have some big problems. They blow up, and you never see who was driving the car.”
“I canceled Joe Biden’s insane Electric vehicle mandate, where everybody had to have an electric vehicle in a very short period of time. Everybody was forced to have an electric vehicle.”
Coal Is ‘Clean and Beautiful,’ Trump Says
Trump called coal “clean and beautiful,” and promised a full revival of the industry.
“We signed executive orders today to unleash coal production to the highest levels ever,” he said.
“Coal is going to be a big factor in our country now. We have more of it than we have more liqiud gold under our feet….we have more coal than any other country.”
He described coal miners as “incredible patriots” and said American energy workers deserve better than regulations that leave them behind.
Trump pledged to put coal miners back to work and blamed Democrats for turning their backs on blue-collar communities.
The renewed focus on coal comes despite wind power being one of the cheapest and fastest-growing energy sources in the U.S.
According to the American Clean Power Association, halting wind development will likely result in higher energy bills, especially in rural areas.
Notably, eight of the ten states that rely most on wind energy voted for Trump in the last election. Iowa, for example, gets around 60% of its electricity from wind.
Critics have called Trump’s claims about wind outdated and unsupported.
Lazard, a financial firm that tracks energy economics, has reported for years that wind and solar are cheaper than fossil fuels when it comes to new power generation.
Trump, however, insists that traditional energy is the key to American dominance and economic revival. “Drill, baby, drill,” he said, repeating one of his campaign slogans.
A Key Issue for 2026 Midterms
As he sets the stage for what he hopes will be a Republican landslide in the 2026 midterms, Trump positioned his energy plan as a central issue.
According to him, they’re going to win because people want common sense, and he won’t let green scams destroy the economy.
“We’re going to fight and save our country from these radical left lunatics,” he said.
With sweeping executive actions, fiery speeches, and full-throated support for coal, Trump is betting that nostalgia for traditional energy will still resonate at the ballot box—even in a country increasingly powered by the wind.
Still, questions remain about the economic impact of this shift.
While Trump claims coal will boost jobs and energy independence, energy experts say relying more heavily on coal could result in higher long-term costs for consumers due to aging infrastructure, environmental compliance, and market inefficiencies compared to renewables.
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