Trump to Roll Back Fuel Economy Standards in Major Announcement

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump is poised to unveil significant changes to U.S. fuel economy standards this Wednesday, aiming to ease restrictions put in place by former President Joe Biden. The announcement is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET from the Oval Office, with major auto executives expected to attend.

The changes are part of a larger initiative by Trump to support traditional gasoline vehicles over electric alternatives. Biden’s previous guidelines mandated a fuel efficiency target of approximately 50 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2031 for passenger cars and light trucks. However, sources indicate that the Trump administration will propose rolling back these standards.

Executives from major automakers, including Ford and Stellantis, have expressed support for the proposed changes. Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa stated that the administration’s actions align the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards with real market conditions, which he believes will foster a more robust U.S. automotive sector.

“As America’s largest auto producer, we appreciate President Trump’s leadership in aligning fuel economy standards with market realities,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said. “This is a win for customers and common sense.”

The current discussions come in the wake of earlier actions by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that relaxed fuel economy requirements and ended penalties for automakers not meeting standards. In contrast, Biden’s initiated guidelines aimed at an increased efficiency by 2% annually from 2027 to 2031, expected to significantly reduce gasoline use and emissions.

In previous statements, the Biden administration projected that its fuel economy rules could save consumers billions of dollars in fuel costs while also contributing to climate change mitigation.

Critics of the rollback, including environmental advocates, argue that lowering fuel economy standards could worsen pollution levels and hinder progress in the green technology sector. Dan Becker from the Center for Biological Diversity stated that the rollback would exacerbate the nation’s reliance on oil.

The White House and NHTSA have not immediately commented on the most recent developments. This announcement is one in a series of Trump’s efforts to promote gas-powered vehicles while supporting the traditional auto industry.