This week at the White House, several key initiatives are in focus. Here’s a summary of the major developments happening in Washington under President Trump. No opinions—just facts.
Trump to Block California’s Electric Vehicle Sales Mandates
President Donald Trump is scheduled to sign three congressional resolutions aimed at blocking California’s aggressive electric vehicle (EV) and diesel engine regulations. The resolutions will overturn California’s plan—also adopted by 11 other states—to ban the sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035 and repeal the requirement that at least 80% of vehicles sold be electric by the same year.
The bill signing at the White House will be attended by several major automakers, including General Motors and Toyota, who have actively lobbied against the mandates. The move is seen as a significant victory for the auto industry and fossil fuel advocates.
Elon Musk’s Republican Favorability Drops
Elon Musk’s popularity among Republican voters has declined significantly since March, according to a recent Quinnipiac University poll. While 62% of Republicans currently view Musk favorably, that number has fallen from 78% just a few months ago. Overall, only 30% of all U.S. voters expressed a favorable opinion of Musk in the survey conducted between June 5 and June 9.
The poll highlights a sharp partisan divide: just 3% of Democrats hold a positive view of Musk, contrasting with his previous reputation as an environmental figure appealing to liberal voters. The decline in Republican support comes after Musk’s public fallout with President Donald Trump, including a series of critical social media posts by Musk about Trump’s spending bill. Musk later expressed regret over the intensity of those posts.
Trump to Roll Back Power Plant Emission Limits
The Trump administration has unveiled plans to repeal restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants from fossil fuel power plants, the second-largest source of climate pollution in the U.S. after transportation. This move is part of a broader effort by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to roll back more than two dozen environmental rules and policies. Although the proposal is expected to face legal challenges, if finalized, it would eliminate limits designed to reduce climate-warming emissions from coal and natural gas power plants.
The EPA under Trump argues that U.S. power plant pollution contributes only a small portion of global emissions and that these emissions are already declining. The agency also claims that removing limits on power plant emissions will have minimal impact on public health. The proposal even states that greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants do not significantly contribute to dangerous air pollution.
California Universities Face Possible Federal Cuts
The Trump administration is shifting its focus to California public universities, considering major cuts to their federal funding due to alleged violations of Title IX. Education Secretary Linda McMahon cited issues such as men participating in women’s sports as a primary reason. President Trump has emphasized his commitment to enforcing Title IX, particularly in response to controversies involving transgender athletes in California.
Trump Administration Secures $200 Billion Micron Investment
The Trump Administration announced a landmark $200 billion investment from Micron Technology, the only U.S.-based advanced memory chip manufacturer. This deal includes building a new chip fabrication plant in Boise, Idaho, modernizing the Manassas, Virginia facility, and bringing advanced DRAM production onshore from Taiwan for the first time. The investment is expected to create 90,000 direct and indirect jobs.
