WASHINGTON D.C. – President Donald J. Trump has signed an executive order to reinvigorate the United States’ coal industry, framing the move as essential for national and economic security. The order introduces a raft of measures designed to increase domestic coal production, streamline regulations, and promote exports, and explicitly ties coal’s future to burgeoning energy demands, including from artificial intelligence data centers. The executive order adds to a list of actions by the Trump administration to prioritize fossil fuel extraction and reverse the Biden administration’s climate policies perceived as detrimental to the sector.
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The executive order directs the Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council to classify coal as a “mineral” under a previous order, Executive Order 14241, thereby granting it associated benefits. It mandates federal agencies to identify coal resources on public lands, actively remove barriers to mining operations, and make coal leasing a priority.
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Further, the order directs the Secretary of the Interior to formally recognise the conclusion of the Jewell Moratorium, a pause on new coal leasing on federal lands implemented under a previous administration. Agencies are also required to rescind internal policies that encourage a shift away from coal power generation or establish preferences against it.
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The administration argues that coal remains vital for the nation’s energy mix and economic health. The press release accompanying the order states the industry supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and contributes tens of billions of dollars annually to the US economy, highlighting America’s vast coal reserves, potentially valued in the trillions. It asserts that coal-fired power generation is cleaner than before and criticizes the preceding administration for allegedly hindering the industry. The administration contends that coal will be indispensable in meeting anticipated growth in electricity consumption, driven by a resurgence in domestic manufacturing and the significant power requirements of AI data processing facilities.
The order also includes provisions to enhance the international standing of US coal. It seeks to promote the export of coal and related technologies, facilitate international purchasing agreements for American coal, and accelerate the development of new coal technologies. In a specific directive, the Secretary of Energy is tasked with evaluating whether coal used in steel production qualifies as a “critical mineral” under the Energy Act of 2020, potentially adding it to strategic lists if affirmed. The explicit mention of using coal to power new AI infrastructure underscores an effort to link the traditional energy source to modern technological growth.
This initiative is presented as part of a broader strategy to achieve “American energy dominance.” Speaking on the directive, President Trump stated, “We will develop the liquid gold that is right under our feet, including American oil and natural gas and we will also embrace nuclear, clean coal, hydropower, which is fantastic, and every other form of affordable energy to get it done.”
The administration positions this executive order alongside previous actions, such as withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement, revoking environmental regulations enacted under the subsequent Biden administration, opposing the Green New Deal framework, promoting resource extraction in Alaska, declaring a national energy emergency, reversing a pause on liquefied natural gas (LNG) export permits, and efforts to expedite federal permitting processes, all aimed at maximizing domestic energy production and reducing energy costs. The stated goals encompass increasing energy supply, lowering electricity prices, enhancing grid stability, creating jobs, supporting emerging industries like AI, and aiding allies through energy exports.
