Donald Trump criticized President Joe Biden's electric vehicle policies during a meeting with House Republicans on Thursday, promising to reverse them if he wins the presidency in November, according to lawmakers present at the private gathering.
Representative Russ Fulcher, a Republican from Idaho, reported that Trump described the push for battery and electric vehicles as "crazy." Fulcher paraphrased Trump's comments, saying, "He made it very, very clear that he’s opposed to the policies we’ve got."
This meeting at the Capitol Hill Club was Trump's first in Washington since his criminal conviction in New York last month. It took place as one of Biden’s key EV policies faced a court challenge. Oil and ethanol industry groups filed a lawsuit on Thursday to block new air-pollution limits issued by the Environmental Protection Agency in March, arguing that these regulations would unlawfully compel automakers to sell electric cars.
Biden has prioritized the transition to battery-powered cars as a major component of his climate and industrial policies, setting a target for 50% of all new vehicle sales to be electric by 2030 and offering consumers up to $7,500 in tax credits for purchasing them. In contrast, Trump has been vocal about his opposition to electric vehicles, claiming they are ineffective and will benefit China and Mexico at the expense of American autoworkers.
Representative Morgan Griffith, a Republican from Virginia, noted that Trump expressed his frustration during the meeting, stating that Biden was forcing people to buy EVs. Griffith paraphrased Trump’s remarks, saying, "He said that was crazy. He’s going to do something about it."
