The State of the Union is Dire
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Trump will address a joint session of Congress tonight.
Manish Bapna, president and CEO of NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), made the following statement:
“The state of the union is dire, imperiled by a runaway oligarchy waging a reckless attack on working families to further enrich billionaires like President Trump, his unelected copilot Elon Musk, and their friends. They’re hitting communities across the country right between the eyes with the worst White House assault ever on the environment and public health.
“They’re acting to eviscerate protections for clean water and air; deepen U.S. dependence on the fossil fuels driving the climate crisis; and set back a thriving clean energy industry that’s creating jobs, cutting costs for consumers, and making the country more energy secure.
“This isn’t about saving money. Trump’s call to slash EPA funding 65 percent would leave families and communities exposed to toxic chemicals, polluted air, and contaminated waters and lands, while shaving federal spending by just one-tenth of a penny on the dollar.
“Voters didn’t ask to take the environmental guardian off the beat, abandon the promise of clean energy and climate progress, or anchor our future in the fuels of the past. This is all in the service of Project 2025 and the billionaire oil and gas donors Trump solicited to help bankroll his campaign—and to help pay for a $4.5 trillion tax cut that disproportionately helps wealthy individuals and corporations. That’s what the Trump-Musk oligarchy is all about: government that serves only a privileged few.
“It’s time for every member of Congress to stand up for the Constitution they’ve sworn to protect and the people they’ve been elected to serve. With a majority in both houses, Republicans have a responsibility to put the brakes on this rampage. Instead, they’ve been largely silent. We need them to stand up to this rapacious Trump-Musk power grab—before it’s too late.”
NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).