Trump Removes California Emissions Waiver
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President Donald Trump on June 12 hosted a signing ceremony at the White House with freight and trucking executives to formally roll back a Biden-era emissions policy that permitted California wide leeway in setting its own transportation emissions rules.
Arguing the Golden State had been carrying out an electric vehicle mandate, the president enacted procedural measures to undo certain waivers granted to California from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Essentially, Trump blocked California from proceeding with electrification rules specific to commercial trucks and commuter cars, as well as rules that set higher standards for heavy-duty diesel engines. The state has been pushing a zero-emission goal in the marketplace that was criticized by much of the industry.
“They’re making you buy stuff that doesn’t work. It’s no good — doesn’t work. And I’m all for electric. If you want to buy electric, you can buy electric cars [that are] great. If you buy the right ones,” Trump said. “Cars are great. And you should be given the option. Buy the electric car. Buy a gasoline-powered car. Buy a hybrid.”
Stakeholders, such as American Trucking Associations, touted Trump’s enactment of the procedural resolutions.
Promises made, promises kept.
Thank you for having truckers' backs and repealing California's destructive EV mandates. — American Trucking (@TRUCKINGdotORG)
“Today, common sense prevailed. We thank President Trump, EPA Administrator [Lee] Zeldin and congressional leadership for taking decisive action to end crippling, detached-from-reality rulemakings that would have imposed devastating economic consequences on American businesses and families,” ATA President Chris Spear said. “This is not the United States of California. With the stroke of his pen, President Trump is restoring the certainty that the trucking industry needs to deliver for our nation as we continue to reduce our environmental impact.”
Gina Jones, a driver for Werner Enterprises and an America’s Road Team captain, took to the podium alongside Trump.
“We cannot allow one state’s regulations to disrupt our entire nation’s supply chain,” she said. “Allowing California to do so would have negatively impacted the hundreds of thousands of truck drivers who deliver critical goods across the country each and every day.”
Per information provided by ATA, it takes about 15 minutes to fuel a diesel truck to go 1,200 miles. Conversely, it takes six to eight hours to charge an electric truck that can at most travel 200 miles on a single charge. Under the California framework, “More trucks would be needed to move the same amount of freight, at a much slower rate, while in search of nonexistent charging locations,” ATA maintained.
President Trump Participates in a Bill Signing Ceremony, June 12, 2025 — The White House (@WhiteHouse)
Trump’s action followed Congress’ passage on May 22 of joint resolutions of disapproval on the California policy matters via the procedural Congressional Review Act, or CRA. Republican proponents described the Congress-cleared resolutions as victories in the effort to repeal the EPA waivers to California.
“With President Trump’s signature today, we have successfully ended California’s attempt to establish a nationwide [electric vehicle] mandate that would have hurt our economy, eliminated jobs, and removed consumer choice across our country,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “Despite the best efforts of the Biden administration and congressional Democrats, the voice of the American people has been heard and put into action through the repeal of this rule. I’m proud to have led this effort and thank President Trump and my Republican colleagues in Congress for their work and support throughout this process.”
Zeldin noted that the waivers reversal “not only prevents California from implementing their attempt at [electric vehicle] mandate actions but ensures that they can never do something similar again.”
Jim Mullen, executive director of the Clean Freight Coalition, said, “The trucking industry won a tremendous victory today with President Trump signing congressional rescission of the Biden EPA’s waivers for California’s ACT and NOx regulations. The Clean Freight Coalition thanks President Trump, Administrator Zeldin, and Congress for this momentous action that protects the trucking industry, the backbone of the nation’s supply chain and economy.”
Democrats mostly voted against passage of the procedural resolutions, and voiced concern over use of the CRA process to target the waivers.
I’m filing a lawsuit against President Trump after he signed illegal resolutions to target California’s clean air policies.
Trump’s all-out assault on California continues, and this time he’s destroying our public health and America’s global competitiveness in the process. — Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor)
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) warned that the move set a dangerous precedent. “Tomorrow, the [Congressional Review Act] could be used to erase any policy from an agency that the Trump administration doesn’t like at a simple majority threshold,” he said.
Following Congress’ vote, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) criticized the Republican-led federal legislature and threatened legal action. “We won’t stand by as Trump Republicans make America smoggy again — undoing work that goes back to the days of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan — all while ceding our economic future to China. We’re going to fight this unconstitutional attack on California in court,” he said.
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California Air Resources Board Chairwoman Liane Randolph echoed the governor’s viewpoint: “These actions are contrary to the text of the Congressional Review Act, as recognized by the nonpartisan U.S. Government Accountability Office and the Senate parliamentarian.”
Randolph added, “California will pursue every available remedy to challenge these actions and defend our right to protect the public from dangerous air pollution. Turning the clock back on both cleaner combustion engine requirements and zero-emission technology is an attack on clean air.”
