The world energy map is transforming toward electric vehicles (EVs) and renewables, but Donald Trump, the former U.S. President, is a fossil fuel fanatic. According to him, natural gas, coal, and oil are required for economic stability, job creation, and energy security. This contrasts with the increasing global recognition of clean energy to counter climate change and achieve long-term sustainability.
Trump’s Case for Fossil Fuels
Trump’s pro-fossil fuel position is no secret. Throughout his tenure as president (2017–2021) and current comments, he has advocated for coal, oil, and gas as the pillars of American power. His case is economic and geopolitical: Fossil fuels support millions of jobs, keep energy prices stable, and provide U.S. energy independence.
At a conservative energy conference, Trump characterised the shift to EVs as a “pipe dream” promoted by “radical environmentalists” and foreign rivals such as China, which controls battery production. “America is powered by oil, not batteries,” Trump has remarked. He focuses on energy reliability, believing that fossil fuel infrastructure is already established, whereas renewables have been tested on a larger scale.
His message resonates well in states such as Texas, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, where fossil fuel jobs remain a significant economic lifeline. Critics say his vision overlooks the environmental cost of such an idea and the economic opportunity in green industries growing fast globally.
The World Moves Towards EVs
While Trump defends fossil fuels, the world is rapidly converging towards electric vehicles (EVs). EVs in 2024 accounted for nearly 20% of global car sales, a dramatic rise from a mere 2% a decade ago, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Governments worldwide are adopting ambitious plans to phase out internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Europe is aiming for a 2035 deadline for the sale of new ICE vehicles, and China is aiming for EVs to account for 50% of its car sales by the same year.
India is also progressing its EV strategy, with the government leading 30% of private cars, 70% of commercial cars, and 80% of two- and three-wheelers electric by 2030. India’s EV policy is to be finalized by March, providing tariff relief to foreign automakers but accounting for just 5% of their investment towards charging infrastructure, showing a strategic emphasis on enabling EV adoption and production
Technological advancements are making EVs increasingly viable. Battery prices have fallen 90% since 2010, and technologies such as solid-state batteries can offer increased range and charging rates. Automakers like Tesla, BYD, and Volkswagen are spending billions of dollars producing EVs, with Ford and General Motors reversing course from fossil-fuel-burning cars. By 2025 ends, estimates suggest that more than 15 million EVs will flood the world’s roads, courtesy of subsidies, charging networks, and increasing consumer demand.
Apart from cars, supply chains are also evolving. Lithium, cobalt, and rare earths—all required to produce EV batteries—are the new oil and fueling investment in recycling and mining. Even oil-producing nations such as Saudi Arabia are shifting to solar and green hydrogen, indicating that fossil fuel independence will eventually be left behind.
The Climate Factor
Climate change is one of the most critical drivers of the transition to EVs. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global emissions need to decrease by 50% by 2030 to keep warming at 1.5°C, which cannot be achieved without cutting fossil fuel consumption. Research indicates that EVs reduce emissions by 50–70% compared to petrol vehicles, even when powered from mixed grids.
Trump has instead rejected climate science as exaggerated or a “hoax.” Trump’s administration has undone more than 100 environmental regulations, such as fuel efficiency standards, that would have promoted EV adoption. Trump contends that economic disruption from a shift away from fossil fuels is greater than the hypothetical risks of climate change,a perspective contrary to scientific consensus and the increase in extreme weather.
Economic and Geopolitical Implications
Trump’s fossil fuel agenda has profound implications. Nationally, it would lock the U.S. into legacy energy infrastructure while the rest of the world follows in clean tech. The U.S. will lose out on the projected $7 trillion EV market by 2030, while China already produces 60% of batteries. India will also become a major player, quickly building out its base of renewable energy facilities and competing to stake its claim in the EV and battery factory boom, further proving the competitive nature of this global transition.
From a diplomatic perspective, Trump’s stance would pressure his relationship with allies like the EU, where the EU is placing carbon border tariffs charging high-emission imports. It would increase the influence of oil-based economies like Russia and OPEC while decreasing the influence of renewable-energy-based economies.
A Tale of Two Futures
The gap between Trump’s fossil fuel fate and the world’s EV-driven fate is an even more profound ideological difference. There’s a group that holds on to industrial legacy, and there’s another that takes a gamble on innovation and greenery. Both sides have difficulties—fossil fuels are shrinking demand and stranded assets, EVs have clogged supply chains and grid resiliency issues.
But the trend is unmistakable. As solar panels spread and charging stations fill the landscape, Trump’s fantasy of a fossil fuel-powered future becomes increasingly a dinosaur of the past. But as a forceful political voice, his endorsement means fossil fuels won’t die quietly. The real question is: Can America afford to get left behind while the rest of the world gets charged?
