Trump's Anti-Climate Orders and Funding Freezes Weaken Communities' Defenses Against Extreme Weather, Health Crises, and Financial Risks.
President Donald Trump’s Anti-Climate Actions are putting the long-term physical and economic security of vulnerable communities at risk. By stripping climate considerations from federal policy, his administration is actively weakening our ability to prepare for and recover from extreme weather and climate-related disasters.
On his first day back in office, Trump repealed Climate Resilience in Infrastructure—such as affordable housing and hospitals—to be built with flood resilience in mind. This regulation wasn’t just about climate awareness; it was a fiscally responsible measure to prevent wasting taxpayer dollars on structures doomed to repeated damage. Its repeal will leave more people and property exposed to future floods, a harsh reality that states like Vermont, which endured devastating floods in 2023 and 2024, know all too well.
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Just days later, on January 29, Trump’s Department of Transportation (DOT) scrapped a policy that required its agencies to consider climate resilience in infrastructure planning. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy went a step further, ordering the removal of all references to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions from DOT policies. This comes at a time when America’s aging infrastructure—from stormwater systems and bridges to flood-control dams—is already struggling to handle today’s climate pressures. Ignoring climate projections now will only lead to greater disaster down the road.
Trump’s war on climate science doesn’t stop there. His administration has systematically erased “climate change” from federal websites, including those of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But deleting words won’t erase reality. Without access to vital climate data, health professionals will struggle to track the spread of infectious diseases, and farmers will be left guessing how to adapt to shifting weather patterns. This will have direct consequences for public health, food security, and economic stability.
Meanwhile, the insurance industry isn’t ignoring the climate crisis. Rising Insurance Costs, and rates are set to rise even higher as insurers factor climate risks—like wildfires and hurricanes—into their pricing models. First Street Foundation Report projects that climate risks will wipe out $1.47 trillion in real estate value by 2055. Despite this looming threat, Trump revoked a Biden-era Treasury Department policy that examined climate risk in the housing market. The American dream of homeownership is becoming increasingly unattainable, yet Trump’s policies are ensuring that families remain unprepared for the financial fallout.
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To make matters worse, FEMA Under Threat. During a visit to North Carolina, still reeling from Hurricane Helene, he suggested eliminating the agency entirely. Project 2025 Plan calls for slashing FEMA’s funding, privatizing core functions, and shifting financial responsibility for disaster relief to the states. But FEMA was created precisely because states lack the resources to handle major disasters alone. Weakening federal disaster response will only leave communities more vulnerable when catastrophe strikes.
Trump’s “America First” agenda is putting Americans last when it comes to disaster preparedness. His administration may scrub climate science from federal policy, but it cannot erase the rising risks of floods, wildfires, and extreme heat. If we want to safeguard lives and livelihoods, we need leadership that acknowledges reality and invests in real solutions.
This column was produced for Progressive Perspectives, a project of The Progressive magazine, and distributed by Tribune News Service.
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