What A Day - Donald Trump Boosts Renewable Energy (By Accident)

Episode Date: April 22, 2026

Happy Earth Day! While we celebrate efforts to save the earth, the Trump administration appears to be doing everything in its power to destroy it. At the same time, the Iran war has driven gas prices through the roof, making sustainable energy sources more appealing than ever. Dharna Noor, climate reporter for The Guardian, joins the show to discuss how President Donald Trump’s war of choice could push the US back toward renewables. And in headlines, Tucker Carlson apologizes for his role in bringing Trump to power, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth fights for…bodily autonomy, and Trump’s choice to run the Federal Reserve has his confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee.Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

It's Wednesday, April 22nd. I'm Jane Koston, and this is what a day. The show that often says, I do not believe President Donald Trump, but really, really means it this time. Here's Trump calling into CNBC on Tuesday. I would have won Vietnam very quickly. I would have, if I were president, I would have won Iraq in the same amount of time that we won,

because essentially we've won here. Donald Trump, you might recall, did not fight in the Vietnam more. He did, however, tell Howard Stern in 1997 that avoiding sexually transmitted infections was quote, like Vietnam sort of. It is my personal Vietnam. On today's show, Tucker Carlson apologizes for his role in bringing Trump to power. Unfortunately, for all of us, too little, too late. And defense secretary Pete Higseth fights for bodily autonomy, but not in a good way. Let's start with Earth Day, which is today in case you forgot. It's a weird time to be honoring the Earth and celebrating efforts to save it, because the Trump

administration seems to be doing everything it can to strip the planet for parts. For example, the administration is paying millions of dollars to keep coal plants open, plants that were scheduled for retirement and cost a ton to run. Because the Trump administration really, really loves coal. Why? As Politico magazine argued in 2017, the coal industry blends. quote, right-wing business executives who hate environmental regulations and taxes, along with blue-collar miners who wish America was more like it used to be when coal was king.

Those two groups love Donald Trump. In Trump's second term, the love affair continues. According to Interior Secretary Doug Bergam, the goal for coal plants is to, quote, 100% stay open, no more retirements, no more shutting down. In other words, more coal all the time. And the rest of the Trump administration appears to be on board. Here's Energy Secretary Chris Wright speaking to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday. Cole has been the largest source of global electricity since the data began.

We have pretty good data starting in the year 1900. Coal's 125 and 0 in how many years they have led the world in electricity production. I'm pretty confident coal will lead the world in global electricity production when I die. The problem is, Chris, right? If coal leads the world in global electricity production when you die, a lot of other people are going to die too. But funnily enough, the Trump administration has accidentally made a fantastic case for moving away from fossil fuels.

Now that the Iran war has created a global oil crisis, electric vehicles and solar panels are looking more appealing and more stable than ever. So to talk more about the Trump administration, climate change, and how the Iran war could push the U.S. back towards renewables, I spoke to Darnanor. She's a fossil fuels and climate reporter for The Guardian. Darnah, welcome to Wed a day. Thanks for having me.

Trump's war on Iran has unintentionally turned the global spotlight towards renewable energy, which is ironic because Trump hates renewable energy a whole lot. And his administration has been, like, actively working against it in favor of fossil fuels, which they love. But here we are. And I have to wonder, is the U.S. prepared to meet this energy squeeze? I mean, I think the answer to that realistically is no. I think what we've seen is that the war on Iran that has been waged by the U.S. and Israel has really called attention to the global nature of fossil fuel markets. And I think that the Trump administration really sold the American people, this idea that if we just boost our energy independence here in the U.S. by boosting, you know, the drilling of oil and gas, we can kind of untether ourselves from that market.

We can ensure that we've got enough of a supply here. what we're seeing now, of course, is that just because you're drilling more fossil fuels in the United States does not mean that the price for those fossil fuels is not set by, you know, the sort of broader geopolitical sphere and does not mean that we're not going to see prices go up when we see instability like this. The other thing I'll say is, you know, the Trump administration currently is sort of selling this idea that we're going to be increasing our production really, really quickly. We're going to be exporting more oil and gas. Obviously, you know, or perhaps not. obviously. Exports of oil and gas can actually serve to increase domestic prices. So if you're looking to bring down domestic prices, maybe not the best idea. The other thing is that, you know, much to their sort of disappointment, you actually cannot often increase these supplies all that quickly. You know, it takes the expansion of new infrastructure and that can

take years to sort of do, which is where renewable energy comes in, because wind and solar are able to be sort of brought online more quickly. Yeah, it seems like Americans are responding to the Trump administration's pro-oil energy policies with oil prices going up by saying, hey, renewables. I think I've heard just from friends of mine saying, like, wow, I'm glad I bought an EV three or four years ago. Or, wow, we're all suddenly looking at EVs. How do you think Democrats can capitalize on this, given that it just seems logical to look at renewable sources of energy when oil is being held hostage by a war. Yeah, absolutely. I think, I mean, it's interesting to see, honestly, that there has not been quite as much focus from Democrats as we may expect on the need

for the expansion of renewable energy, despite the fact that we're seeing the sort of massive crisis with fossil fuels. That said, I think that there are some sort of efforts underway that are really drawing attention to the need to move away from oil and gas. One of those efforts is the push for a windfall tax on fossil fuel companies, essentially saying, hey, we're in this moment where because the price of oil and gas is going up rapidly. And that means that, you know, oil and gas companies are making record profits. We've seen this for Shell and Exxon and a number of others. We don't want this to be a moment where just because, you know, you can make a lot of money on these things, we're increasing our supply of them because, one, they're proving to be expensive and unstable

when it comes to prices. And two, they are destroying the climate that we all rely on to live. And so the idea is that essentially taxing these sort of excess profits that oil companies are seeing could ensure that we don't see a sort of massive expansion in supply. We're also seeing some calls to stop the export of certain kinds of fossil fuels. You know, so for instance, Rokana's office put forth this proposal to stop exporting gasoline during the sort of moment of crisis, which again could serve to lower prices. But I think, you know, what we really need to see more of. Is this sort of focus on the need to move away from fossil fuels completely? Not only, of course, to sort of stabilize energy prices, you know, obviously oil and gas are not

the only energy sources that are tied to the global market. Obviously, you know, to build wind and solar capacity, you need to acquire things that are often made in other countries. But that said, when you have a wind turbine or a solar panel, you don't need to constantly fill them with more oil and gas. They're not dependent on these sort of inputs that come from the global market. And that means that they're relatively stable when it comes to pricing, when it comes to security. And I think we really need to sort of put a little bit more attention there to say, hey, real energy security could be boosted by bringing on more renewables. Right, right. I think it's really good to say, like, this is just a logical thing to do. It doesn't have to be something

that you're doing because you're a good person. It's just a logical thing to do. Yes. The other angle I want to look at here is that the U.S. and China are two global superpowers. But as the U.S. turned toward fossil fuels, China has spent the last decade or so investing in renewable energy. And in this moment, it's paying off for them. How much could sustaining an oil crisis here in the U.S. set us back in comparison to China? Gosh, I mean, when it comes to these sort of new renewable energy markets and, you know, electric vehicle markets, China is already light years ahead of us. what we've seen is that, you know, China has developed relationships with countries all of the world, wherein, you know, their technologies, their sort of like constituent parks for these technologies

have become really essential to many, many countries' energy transitions. And the U.S., you know, under Biden, tried to sort of get in on some of that and say, hey, we're going to be manufacturing some electric vehicles domestically. We're going to be doing more to manufacture or at least put together wind. and solar infrastructure domestically. By moving in the other direction there, I think what we've seen a lot of sort of experts say is that Trump is seeding what little ground the U.S. had

in this sort of race to China completely. I would say that that's already something that we was sort of underway, but this is really kind of a nail in the coffin. And, you know, as we've seen at the sort of international climate conferences, where the Trump administration has not been present because it has left the sort of architecture of international climate policy. We're seeing that countries are not sort of waiting for the U.S. to come back into the climate sphere.

Instead, they're sort of saying, okay, cool, we're moving along without you. We are transitioning away from fossil fuels, however we can without you, and we're doing that with whatever partners are willing to play with us. In many of cases, that's China. One of my favorite, and I mean favorite lightly ironically, pieces that you wrote was about the Heartland Institute conference, which is a conference for people who think that climate change is awesome. You know, the president of the Heartland Institute gave this long speech about how putting more carbon dioxide and the environment was good. And EPA head Lee Zeldin spoke at that conference and

talked about how great it was that, you know, finally people like us were being listened to by the Trump administration. So it feels like the Trump administration isn't going to turn around on this. They're not going to shift course even in the midst of an energy crisis. But what does the U.S. need to do, moving forward? And what can Americans expect if we don't adjust course? Yeah, I think this is a really interesting moment ahead of the midterms where a lot of people who are, you know, sort of across the political spectrum, but believe in the fundamental truth around which there's scientific consensus that fossil fuels are the primary, primary cause of global warming. global warming is dangerous. Those are things that are settled facts. And we're seeing a lot of people

sort of try to get into motion some priorities that might be possible to finally get underway if the Democrats were to take one or both houses of Congress. And so, you know, we're seeing some energy, for instance, around the desire to bring back some of the incentives that President Biden put in place in the Inflation Reduction Act for things like wind and solar, things like the manufacturing of EVs, even things like, you know, kind of reducing the energy load of households. Those were incentives that the Trump administration also removed once it got into office last year. So, you know, a sort of effort to bring back some of those incentives, I think, is already sort of happening. The other thing I think we're really seeing is this sort of tying climate issues to affordability.

We've seen a lot of pollsters and wanks in the past years say, hey, Americans don't really care about climate change anymore. All they care about is their bills. And what we're seeing the sort of climate world say is, hey, first of all, there's other polls that show that's not true at all. But second of all, you know, these things are related. Like climate change is pushing up costs for insurance. It's pushing up costs for utility bills.

Climate change is increasing costs. And what's at stake here is really, you know, not only costs. It's not only the potentially really, really high price tag that Americans could be paying when it comes to their utility bills, their insurance, their homes, you know, if they're in the lines of climate disasters, for instance, but also their lives. You know, we're seeing an increasing number of extreme weather events, floods, hurricanes, droughts every year. We're seeing increasingly severe forms of these weather disasters. And that's only going to get worse. Obviously, you know, the United States is not seeing the worst effects. of climate change. That's often being born by those in the global south, you know, in countries

that have not contributed nearly as much as we have to the climate crisis here in the U.S. But that doesn't mean that we're safe. And, you know, the only way, for activists have made clear, the only way that we're going to be able to secure a livable future is if we transition away from fossil fuels. Darna, thank you so much for joining us. And happy Earth Day. Happy Earth Day. Thanks so much, Jane. That was my conversation with Darna Noor, Fossil Fuels and Climate Reporter at The Guardian. Personally, this show is a big fan of Earth. Very nice, planet, one we'd like to keep happy and healthy.

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frame with code Wad. That's A-U-R-A-Frammachom, promo code Wad. Support the show by mentioning us at checkout. Charms and conditions apply. Here's what else we're following today. Head Alines. Have you ever thought to yourself, I wish that more members of the military were potentially debilitated by a communicable disease that could be averted through vaccination.

Well, Secretary of Defense slash little boy, Pete Hickseth, heard your cries and he made a special announcement on Tuesday. Under the disastrous Biden administration, this Pentagon waged an unrelenting war on our warriors on many fronts, including when it came to denying them, simple medical autonomy. Under President Trump, the War Department continues to take decisive action

to once again restore freedom and strength to our joint force. We're seizing this moment to discard any absurd, overreaching mandates that only weaken our warfighting capabilities. In this case, this includes the universal flu vaccine and the mandate behind it. Our new policy is simple. If you, an American warrior, entrusted to defend this nation, believe that the the flu vaccine is in your best interest, then you are free to take it. You shouldn't. But we will not force you because your body, your faith, and your convictions are not negotiable, your health. The flu vaccine has been mandated by the military since early 1950s because it turns out that having the flu would also weaken our war fighting capabilities. But I guess Pete Hick-Seth thinks that

my body, my choice, is common sense. I wonder if that applies to anything else. Meanwhile, While, President Trump's choice to run the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh, had his confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday. His answers did not fill me with confidence about his ability to keep the Fed independent from Trump. Earlier today, you said to Senator Kennedy that President Trump never demanded you to cut interest rates in your job interview. Is that your sworn testimony? That is Senator. Okay. Well, someone here is lying, then because either you or President Trump.

because in an interview with the Wall Street Journal of December 12th, President Trump confirmed that he pressed you on your commitment to support interest rates cuts. You know, this brings up an issue of credibility at this point. Who's lying here? Is it you or the president? Because the president confirmed that he did ask you to cut interest rates. Senator, there's, of course, a third alternative. You cite a couple of reporters for a leading financial newspaper.

I recall reading that story at the time. Did you ask the correction? I think those reporters either need better sources or better journalist standards. Did you ask for a correction? Are you concerned that there could be real long-term effects of this war in Iran, especially if we're continuing to see these challenges when it comes to fuel and fertilizer? Senator, if my reform agenda, if confirmed, stands for anything. It's for the central bank, especially the Fed chairman, to stay in its lane.

I know that, but you also have to be. So I would want to wander outside of it. I'm happy to. But you're also charged with forecasting. What grade would you give the economy? Well, if I gave a student anything other than an A, the dean would summon me to his office because I would have heard his self-image. Sorry, a weird, dumb joke about grading on a curve doesn't help Americans feel better about the economy.

Finally, remember Tucker Carlson? Former Box News host spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2024. Big, big, big supporter of Donald Trump. Yeah, apparently he's sorry about all that. As he said on an episode of his podcast this week where he interviewed his brother, Buckley. Now we're in a weird moment, an even stranger moment, where a lot of people who really like Trump are very disappointed in Trump. In fact, more than disappointed, feel betrayed or enraged, feel like suckers, feel like they've been taken for a ride. How could I possibly have supported that given what it became?

A lot of people seem to feel that way. I do think it's like a moment to wrestle with our own consciences. You know, we'll be tormented by it for a long time. I will be. And I want to say I'm sorry for misleading people. It was not intentional. That's all I'll say. Sure.

Crick of Media reached out to the White House about Tucker's regret. And in response, they sent us a link to Trump's true social post about Tucker from earlier this month, in which Trump said Tucker was a, quote, hand-flailing fool. And that's the news. Before we go, spring is all about fresh starts, new t-shirts, and terrifying new reasons to call your representatives. The crooked stores call Congress Line has been a bestseller since it launched years ago.

And now it's available in new spring colors like butter yellow and chocolate brown. Plus, all the pieces got a quality upgrade so your favorites can stay in rotation for even longer. Calling your representatives has never been more important. So why not make spreading the word as easy? as throwing on a comfy t-shirt, crewneck, or hat. Head to crooked.com slash store to shop. That's all for today.

If you like the show, make sure you subscribe, leave a review, celebrate Donald Trump getting some much-needed reading done and tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading, and not just about how Trump and a bunch of his supporters

are taking part in a marathon Bible reading event this week called America Reads the Bible, like me, what a day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and subscribe. crooked.com slash subscribe. I'm Jane Koston. And will this be the first time Trump has actually had to read the Bible and not just hold it performatively? What a day is a production of Crooked Media. Our show is produced by Caitlin Plummer, Emily Four, Erica Morrison, and Adrian Hill.

Our team includes Haley Jones, Greg Walters, Matt Berg, Joseph Dutra, Johanna Case, and Desmond Taylor. Our music is by Kyle Murdoch and Jordan Cantor. We had helped today from the Associated Press. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America East. Thank you.