President Donald Trump has doubled down on his skepticism of climate change, calling it “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world.” In line with this belief, the Trump administration is expected to skip the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-30) in Brazil, set to run from November 10 through November 21. The move signals a sharp departure from the climate policies of previous administrations.
After reclaiming the Oval Office, Trump has pushed executive orders such as “Unleashing American Energy,” which effectively halts federal funding for climate-related initiatives established under the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The President’s stance is reinforced by a coalition of conservative energy and environmental groups who have formally urged the administration not to send a delegation. The groups, which include the Heartland Institute and the American Energy Institute, argue that international climate conferences have consistently failed to benefit the environment while harming the U.S. economy and national security.
In a letter addressed to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, the coalition warned that these global efforts are “designed to cripple the U.S. energy system and economy, compromise our national security, and steal from U.S. taxpayers under the guise of climate aid and/or reparations.” Jason Isaac, CEO of the American Energy Institute, emphasized to Fox News Digital, “It’s time America walked away from the U.N.’s endless climate conferences,” adding that refusing to participate would send a “clear message: America will no longer be a victim of the global climate hoax.”
The groups also point to historical treaties like Kyoto (1997) and Paris (2015), claiming they contributed to Europe’s dependence on Russian energy, which they argue indirectly financed the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Heartland Institute President James Taylor added a layer of irony to his critique, noting that the annual conferences contribute to CO2 emissions through global travel. He suggested that by skipping the conference, the Trump administration would “do more to reduce carbon dioxide emissions than all the participating nations combined,” highlighting what he sees as the hypocrisy of global climate diplomacy.
As the November conference approaches, the U.S.’s absence could signal a broader rollback of international climate engagement and reinforce the administration’s focus on domestic energy production, particularly fossil fuels. The decision will likely spark debate over the global implications of U.S. climate policy and its stance in ongoing environmental negotiations.