Trump's attempt to crush clean energy progress not going to plan, experts say

Efforts to slow the U.S. clean-energy buildout are not working as planned, according to a wave of new reporting and official data.

The latest evidence is stacked against the idea that renewables are losing momentum. The Energy Information Administration said wind and solar generated a record 17% of U.S. electricity in 2025, and it expects planned U.S. generating capacity additions in 2026 to hit another record, led by solar, batteries and wind.

Canary Media also reported that March 2026 was the first full month in which U.S. renewables generated more electricity than natural gas. That suggests the clean-power sector is still gaining ground even as the political environment turns more hostile.

At the same time, courts have begun to push back. AP reported that a federal judge blocked several Trump administration permitting policies that had slowed wind and solar projects, limiting how far those restrictions can go.

The administration is still trying to shape the market. The Interior Department said on April 27 that it had reached new agreements to end offshore wind leases and redirect investment toward conventional energy projects.

But the broader trend remains the same: market growth, court rulings and project pipelines are still supporting clean-energy expansion. The question now is how much the federal policy push can slow a sector that continues to add capacity and gain share in the U.S. power mix.