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Trump's Coal Purchase Order Faces Economic Backlash

2/18/2026

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Story summary
  • U.S. President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to purchase coal to prop up the declining coal industry.
  • Experts say it is economically unviable and unlikely to revive coal jobs lost to automation.
  • The Department of Defense supports the executive order, saying it improves grid reliability.
  • Critics say renewables are cheaper and more beneficial, noting a global shift toward cleaner energy and China’s heavy investment in renewables despite ongoing coal use.