We knew this was coming, but the Trump regime formally announced this morning that they will move to revoke California's authority to set their own fuel economy standards.
In usual Trumpian fashion, nothing Trump said about the decision makes any sense at all.
"The Trump Administration is revoking California's Federal Waiver on emissions in order to produce far less expensive cars for the consumer, while at the same time making the cars substantially SAFER," Trump tweeted.
He made the announcement while visiting California for fundraisers. He was in his hotel in Los Angeles when he sent the tweets.
"This will lead to more production because of this pricing and safety advantage, and also due to the fact that older, highly polluting cars, will be replaced by new, extremely environmentally friendly cars," he wrote in an additional tweet. "There will be very little difference in emissions between the California Standard and the new U.S. Standard, but the cars will be far safer and much less expensive."
Just to make sure we're all on the same page here -- revoking California's authority to set their own fuel economy standards means cars will be less safe and "highly polluting" cars will remain on the road for longer. Fewer "extremely environmentally friendly cars" will be produced, not more.
Up is down. Left is right. Etc.
In addition to claiming this will lower the cost of cars, Trump also claimed that this will lead to more jobs as automakers increase production.
Neither of those things are true or going to happen. Trump's trade war has already increased the cost of cars by more than higher environmental standards ever have. Trump's tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum, among other things, have cost automakers billions and nothing Trump has done or will do in the near future is going to prevent layoffs and plant closures. Trump has hastened their decline.
On the subject of states' rights -- it's been clear for a very long time that Republicans only believe in states' rights when they're the ones invoking it, but this really drives the point home.
It's possible that automakers will maintain the fuel economy standards they've agreed to with the state of California even if the Trump regime prevails in court. Lowering their standards now would be bad for business.