Trump's climate anvil enters the 2028 race
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When Rahm Emanuel, a potential Democratic 2028 White House hopeful, was asked about the endangerment finding repeal, his answer went right to prices — not climate change.
Why it matters: It's a sign of the times.
- Many Democrats are pointing to climbing electricity prices — not climbing temperatures — as they frame their energy messages ahead of the midterm elections and 2028.
State of play: Emanuel told Axios that Republicans "crushed" new supply in the 2025 budget law slashing support for renewables — and said that's helping push prices up as demand climbs.
- "These guys decided to put all the chips on natural gas and oil and coal, and I see this in that continuum," he said of the repeal plan.
- Instead, Emanuel argues, the country should have "continued with an all-of-the-above energy strategy, whether it was renewables, whether it was geothermal, whether it was small nuclear, or whether it was natural gas," he said.
- Emanuel, who was President Obama's chief of staff and President Biden's ambassador to Japan, called it "obviously a significant step backwards" that puts the U.S. at a disadvantage in the technological race against China.
Catch up quick: EPA on Thursday is slated to repeal the endangerment finding, the 2009 scientific conclusion that greenhouse gas emissions threaten humans.
- It's the legal underpinning for greenhouse gas regulations. EPA's repeal addresses vehicle emissions but could also thwart future controls on power plants and more.
- "Trump is not simply withdrawing prior rules but attempting to block such rules in the future, absent an act of Congress," Capital Alpha Partners' James Lucier said in a note.
Flashback: Other potential 2028 candidates responded more directly on climate grounds when Trump officials floated killing the endangerment finding last year.
- That includes California Gov. Gavin Newsom and, via wider coalition statements, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Ruben Gallego of Arizona.
What we're watching: What other 2028 Democratic hopefuls have to say about the latest move.
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