On Tuesday night, President Donald Trump touted his energy dominance agenda in his State of the Union address to Congress, but the rosy picture that Trump painted of rapidly falling energy costs doesn’t match the data.
In his speech, President Trump bragged about lowering energy costs for consumers, but according to factcheck.org, the index for household energy rose 6.6% over the last 12 months. The Guardian also released a fact check following Trump’s address, noting that the president’s attacks on renewable energy are expected to increase electricity rates by up to 18% by 2035.
One of the ways Trump is seeking to bring energy costs down is by bolstering coal, but a 2023 report found that 99 percent of all U.S. coal plants (209 out of 210) are now more expensive to run than replacement by new solar, wind, or energy storage. Consumer costs have yet to see a dip from coal—in fact, the Trump administration is spending $350 million to recommission old coal plants, which is only a portion of the $625 million the administration has allocated to reinvigorate the coal industry.
Moreover, according to the latest Conservation in the West Poll results from Colorado College, a mere seven percent of Western voters ranked coal as their first or second preferred energy source.
The administration also spoke misleadingly about who is really benefitting from Trump’s energy and public lands policies. In response to President Trump’s mention of America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, Interior Secretary Burgum tweeted that Trump has “restored our nation and secured a brighter future for ALL Americans!” Yet recent reporting from the Center for American Progress shows that Trump’s public lands directives are erasing Black History and disproportionately decreasing access to nature for communities of color and those with low incomes.
Unpacking the 2026 Conservation in the West Poll
In a new episode of The Landscape podcast, Aaron welcomes pollsters Lori Weigel from New Bridge Strategy and Miranda Everitt from FM3 to discuss the 16th annual Colorado College Conservation in the West Poll. The bipartisan polling team breaks down voter attitudes across eight Western states on public lands, conservation priorities, and the Trump administration’s funding cuts and policy rollbacks. The poll reveals consensus across party lines—including among MAGA voters—on protecting public lands, opposing sell-offs, and prioritizing renewable energy over fossil fuel extraction.
Quick hits
Hunters and veterans are fighting Trump’s pick to oversee public lands
Interior scales back environmental regulations for public lands
How Trump’s big climate finding repeal could actually hurt big oil
Interior official granted ethics waiver just before family’s lithium mine deal
Opinions: Steve Pearce is not fit to run the BLM
Outdoor Life | Wyoming Tribune Eagle
Colorado fines Chevron subsidiary $1.7 million over 2025 well blowout in Weld County
The story of Ganado Mucho, a Navajo folk hero whose exhibit may be removed by Trump administration
Opinion: What’s behind the push to erase Black History
Quote of the day
Pearce’s chapter of the BLM will ensure that our stories we share with future generations are just that—stories of a once-wild place.”
—Jennie Mans, BLM wildlands director for the Wyoming Wilderness Association, Wyoming Tribune Eagle
Picture This
Summer tanagers aren’t just flashy in their feathers, they’re also insect connoisseurs with specialized diets: bees and wasps. These scarlet-hued hotshots catch bees and wasps on the wing, then rub them against a branch to remove the stinger, before enjoying their snack.
Photo: William Radke/USFWS