Latest news with #2025EnergySummit
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Granholm: Democrats would ‘welcome' Musk ‘helping us out'
Former Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said Tuesday that Democrats would 'welcome' tech billionaire Elon Musk 'helping us out' after an intense clash between Musk and President Trump last week. 'I think the Democrats would welcome him helping us out, [not] politically, but — financially, etc.,' Granholm said at Politico's 2025 Energy Summit. 'But, maybe, maybe not, I don't know. I'm not running.' Last Thursday, a fight between Musk and Trump over the president's 'big, beautiful bill' escalated rapidly on Musk's X platform and Trump's Truth Social platform. The president said the tech billionaire 'just went CRAZY!' and threatened Musk's government contracts. Musk alleged on X that Trump had ties to convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein. The public spat followed the end of Musk's recent service in the Trump administration and an alliance with the president that appeared to start off strong. Musk endorsed Trump in July 2024 in the wake of Trump surviving an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. Musk's service in the administration was marked by intense backlash from those on the left and Democrats over actions taken by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency on the federal government. Trump's ex-personal attorney Michael Cohen on Saturday said that Trump isn't done with Musk yet. 'They're going to really go after Elon Musk like nobody has seen, ever, in this country, because they can,' Cohen told MSNBC's Ali Velshi. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hill
Granholm: Democrats would ‘welcome' Musk ‘helping us out'
Former Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said Tuesday that Democrats would 'welcome' tech billionaire Elon Musk 'helping us out' after an intense clash between Musk and President Trump last week. 'I think the Democrats would welcome him helping us out, politically, but — financially, etc.,' Granholm said at Politico's 2025 Energy Summit. 'But, maybe, maybe not, I don't know. I'm not running.' Last Thursday, a fight between Musk and Trump over the president's 'big, beautiful bill' earlier in the week escalated rapidly on Musk's X platform and Trump's Truth Social platform. The president said the tech billionaire 'just went CRAZY!' and threatened Musk's government contracts. Musk alleged that Trump had ties to convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein on X. The public spat followed the end of Musk's recent service in the Trump administration and an alliance with the president that appeared to start off strong. Musk endorsed Trump in July 2024 in the wake of Trump surviving an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. Musk's administration service was marked by intense backlash from those on the left and Democrats over actions taken by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on the federal government. Trump's ex-personal attorney Michael Cohen on Saturday said that Trump isn't done with tech billionaire Elon Musk yet. 'They're going to really go after Elon Musk like nobody has seen, ever, in this country, because they can,' Cohen told MSNBC's Ali Velshi.
Politico
3 days ago
- Business
- Politico
Trump's new tactic for bypassing Congress
President Donald Trump's budget chief is trying out an audacious strategy to eliminate congressionally approved funding without lawmakers' sign-off. Russ Vought, who leads the Office of Management and Budget, has directed a dozen federal agencies to freeze upward of $30 billion in spending on a broad array of programs, including ones at NASA and the Environmental Protection Agency, write Scott Waldman and Corbin Hiar. The plan is to delay that funding until the final weeks of the fiscal year, which runs until Sept. 30. Then, the White House will ask Congress to permanently eliminate the funding through a so-called rescission request. Even if Congress rejects the request — or, more likely, doesn't vote on it at all — the White House could try to withhold the funds until the fiscal year clock resets on Oct. 1 and the cuts become permanent. If the so-called pocket rescission works, it could pave the way for the administration to retroactively cancel congressional funding. 'I think it upends a fundamental check and balance contemplated in our Constitution, and I don't understand how you subordinate Congress' power of the purse,' Joseph Carlile, former associate director at OMB in the Biden administration, told Scott and Corbin. Vought is calling the funding freeze a deferral — which first requires congressional sign-off. But instead, he has told agencies to withhold the funds before he sends the deferral package to Congress. Some agency officials were 'shocked' at the move, an administration source with direct knowledge of the plan told Scott and Corbin. In a Friday email to top officials, the National Science Foundation's budget director wrote that the spending freeze targets the agency's research and education programs. 'I imagine you will all have questions, as do we,' Caitlyn Fife wrote. 'However we are immediately focused on pulling the funds back to ensure there are no further commitments or obligations.' Also on the list are tens of millions of dollars for national park operations as well as more than $100 million in science spending at NASA, which includes climate research. The strategy is expected to draw legal pushback. That could land the administration's effort before the Supreme Court, which Vought would welcome. He has long argued that impounding some congressionally appropriated funding is constitutional, and he has said he wants the Supreme Court to validate what would be a significant weakening of congressional oversight of the federal budget. It's Tuesday — thank you for tuning in to POLITICO's Power Switch. I'm your host, Arianna Skibell. Power Switch is brought to you by the journalists behind E&E News and POLITICO Energy. Send your tips, comments, questions to askibell@ Today in POLITICO Energy's podcast: Debra Kahn breaks down how carbon capture has largely dodged GOP attacks and why the technology hits close to home for House Speaker Mike Johnson. hot off the press Dispatches from POLITICO's 2025 Energy Summit today in Washington: GOP megabill could undermine US energy production, Republicans warnFive takeaways from the Trump administration officials, lawmakers, former policymakers and business leaders who spoke today. Trump energy adviser slams renewables, says focus is on fossil fuelsSome other Republicans might favor investing in solar and wind energy, but 'the president is in charge,' the executive director of the National Energy Dominance Council said. Energy powerhouse to Republicans: Don't 'take renewables off the table'The head of NextEra Energy warns that building new natural gas generation and nuclear power will take too long — and wind and solar power are quicker to add now. Heinrich: 'Republicans are going to own increased energy prices'GOP candidates will pay an 'enormous political price' for their cuts to renewable energy projects, the New Mexico Democrat predicted. Power Centers EPA to propose rolling back power plant ruleEPA will move Wednesday to repeal federal limits on power plant climate pollution, write Jean Chemnick and Zack Colman. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin will announce the proposal to roll back the Biden-era rule at an event at agency headquarters, according to six people familiar with the situation. He will also propose repealing a separate regulation to curb hazardous air pollution such as mercury. Scrapping the power plant rule would effectively shelve regulations for the electricity sector, which accounts for one-quarter of U.S. greenhouse gases. California vehicle emission rules on chopping blockTrump plans to sign a trio of resolutions Thursday to revoke California's national-leading vehicle emissions standards, writes Alex Nieves. Trump's signature will finalize his administration's monthslong effort to thwart California's authority to set stricter electrification rules for passenger vehicles and commercial trucks, along with higher standards for heavy-duty diesel engines. Democrats scramble to save green creditsSenate Democrats are ramping up pressure on Republicans to try to protect swaths of their 2022 climate law as the GOP races to advance their party-line megabill, writes Kelsey Brugger. The situation has Democrats trying to influence legislation they have no intention of supporting. Whether they succeed is another question altogether. Utilities await DOE action on loansA growing chorus of consumer advocates and environmentalists is urging Trump's Energy Department to lock in billions of dollars in loan guarantees for utilities, arguing that the loans will help cut utility bills for everyday Americans as prices spike nationwide, write Brian Dabbs and Jason Plautz. The $23 billion in Biden-era loans — much of which would go to Midwest states that voted for Trump — could trigger big investments in new long-range power lines, batteries, clean energy and natural gas infrastructure. Subscriber Zone A showcase of some of our best subscriber content. Trump has taken a 'scorched earth' approach to climate policy by going far beyond his first-term actions, a former diplomat said Tuesday during the POLITICO Energy Summit. Utah Republican Sen. John Curtis raised doubts Tuesday the GOP could pass its megabill by its self-imposed Independence Day deadline. House Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie suggested Tuesday that he is looking ahead of the fight over Republicans' mega reconciliation bill toward bipartisan legislation tackling issues like artificial intelligence. That's it for today, folks! Thanks for reading.
