Trump directs hundreds of millions of dollars to support coal using emergency powers
By
Commodities
Published 06/04/2026, 12:21 PM
Updated 06/04/2026, 05:55 PM
By Timothy Gardner and Jarrett Renshaw
WASHINGTON, June 4 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Thursday he is directing hundreds of millions of dollars to support U.S. coal power plants and to ship the carbon-intensive fuel to Asia, with most of the funding coming from Cold War-era emergency powers.
Trump invoked the Defense Production Act, a 1950 law granting presidents broad authority over industries deemed critical to national security, to fund $425 million in upgrades to 13 coal-fired power plants and $75 million to support the proposed West Gateway coal export terminal in Oakland, California.
His Energy Department also said it was finalizing up to $350 million in previously announced funding to help develop four coal facility projects, including new power plants in Alaska and West Virginia.
The Trump administration has framed energy policy as a national security issue to ensure electricity for AI data centers and reduce reliance on other countries.
https://www.investing.com/news/commodities-news/trump-to-unveil-700-million-coal-support-plan-using-emergency-powers-4727146