Fetterman plans to advocate for clean energy in talks with Trump

• Sen. John Fetterman plans to discuss clean energy projects with President Donald Trump, saying the two have an open channel of communication. Fetterman believes the economic benefits seen in Republican-led states could make Trump more open to renewables.
• Fetterman’s state of Pennsylvania is among those benefiting the most from clean energy investments, with $1.3 billion in funding and nearly 4,700 jobs created since 2022.
• While Trump and Republican lawmakers have signaled plans to scale back clean energy funding, Fetterman aims to highlight data showing the economic advantages of renewables for many conservative-leaning states.

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Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., plans to use what he describes as an open dialogue with President Donald Trump to advocate for clean energy initiatives. Despite Trump’s opposition to certain climate policies, Fetterman believes the economic benefits that renewables have brought to several Republican-led states could make the former president more receptive to these projects.

“It’s a fact that a lot of the green energy things, red states are producing a lot of it,” Fetterman said. “I think [Trump] will discover some of those kinds of investment tend to bend toward red states and their own constituents. They will probably discover that was smart investments.”

How does Fetterman plan to make his case?

According to Fetterman, there “is a channel” of communication between Trump and himself, which the senator intends to use to advocate for green power developments. As part of his argument in favor of continued renewable investments, Fetterman cited data that found “four out of the top five” clean energy-producing states are “either red and or purple.”

Why is Fetterman advocating for clean energy?

Fetterman also appears to have a personal incentive for pitching renewables to Trump, as his constituents are among those set to gain the most from these projects.

An analysis by Atlas Public Policy found seven swing states—including Pennsylvania—are projected to host 44% of clean energy manufacturing projects announced under the Biden administration. Additionally, a report from Climate Power found that Pennsylvania has received more than $1.3 billion in clean energy investments since 2022, leading to the creation of nearly 4,700 jobs.

What happens next?

While Trump and other Republican lawmakers signaled intentions to scale back parts of the clean energy funding included in the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, Fetterman believes that investments in renewable energy still remain appealing to some voters in conservative-leaning states. The Democratic senator intends to highlight data supporting this viewpoint in discussions with the president.