Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
At the Republican National Convention on Thursday, the Presidential candidate Donald Trump delivered a fiery speech that included sharp criticism of electric vehicle (EV) mandates and green energy policies.
Trump, who formally accepted the GOP nomination for the 2024 presidential race, labeled the current administration’s green initiatives as a “scam” and pledged to redirect funds towards more traditional infrastructure projects.
“Ridiculous and actually incredible waste of taxpayer dollars that is fueling the inflation crisis,” Trump declared, referring to the government’s investment in green energy. He attributed the rising inflation rates to the massive expenditures associated with what he termed the “Green New Scam.”
Here’s the video of the speech on electric vehicles.
Trump argued that these policies not only contribute to inflation but also increase energy costs. He vowed to repurpose the unspent trillions of dollars allocated for green projects towards essential infrastructure improvements such as roads, bridges, and dams.
One of the most striking promises in Trump’s speech was his commitment to end the electric vehicle mandate on his first day in office.
“I will end the electric vehicle mandate on day one, thereby saving the U.S. auto industry from complete obliteration, which is happening right now, and saving U.S. customers thousands and thousands of dollars per car,” he proclaimed.
Trump painted a dire picture of the U.S. auto industry, suggesting that current policies were driving manufacturers to relocate operations to Mexico and China.
“Large factories — just heard it — are being built across the border in Mexico. So, with all the other things happening on our border. And they’re being built by China to make cars and to sell them into our country,” he said, criticizing the lack of tariffs and taxes on these foreign-made vehicles.
He also targeted the United Auto Workers (UAW), accusing its leadership of failing its members and calling for the dismissal of its leader. “The United Auto Workers ought to be ashamed for allowing this to happen. And the leader of the United Auto Workers should be fired immediately.”
In his rallying cry to auto workers, both unionized and non-unionized, Trump urged them to support his candidacy, promising a swift revival of domestic car manufacturing.
“Every single auto worker, union and non-union, should be voting for Donald Trump because we’re going to bring back car manufacturing and we’re going to bring it back fast,” he assured.
In late June, the former American presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy commented on the first presidential debate addressing also his role in bridging the communication between former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
When asked about his role in these conversations between Musk and Trump, he emphasized the common ground they share.
“We all share a belief, all three of us, that we need more of those voices in American politics driving change, not as professional politicians, but people who look at political problems through the lens of an entrepreneur and a business leader, objectively,” he stated.
According to a Washington Post report, Trump reaffirmed in a meeting with top U.S. oil executives in May that he is committed to reversing many of the measures Biden implemented to combat climate change.
In 2023, electric vehicle (EV) sales in the US surged by 40 percent compared to the previous year, reaching nearly 1.2 million vehicles, according to data from Cox Automotive. Additionally, the total EV market share in the US increased from 5.9 to 7.6 percent compared to the previous year.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
