President Donald Trump has announced a $700 million investment package to revive the American coal industry, invoking the Cold War-era Defense Production Act to fund the plan. The move aims to lower energy costs, boost national security, and meet soaring electricity demand from data centers and artificial intelligence.
During a White House briefing, Trump declared the investment a historic step to lower energy prices and harness the potential of „clean, beautiful coal.” The funds will protect 14 existing coal plants and 42 mines, build two new coal-fired power plants, and construct a major export terminal in Oakland, California. The president said the package would create over 14,000 jobs, including 1,400 at the new terminal.
– Today we are taking historic action to lower energy prices and the cost of living for all Americans, using the potential of clean, beautiful coal – Trump said.
Historic investment in coal infrastructure
Of the total $700 million, $500 million will go toward keeping 14 coal plants operating and developing the California export terminal. The remaining $200 million, allocated by the Department of Energy, will fund new coal plants in Alaska and West Virginia – the first such facilities built in the U.S. since 2013. The targeted plants are located across ten states, including Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana, and Tennessee.
– With this $700 million investment I am announcing, we will protect 14 coal plants and 42 coal mines, which is a huge number, and we will also build two new coal plants and one huge new export terminal – Trump emphasized.
Coal as a strategic resource for ai and national security
Administration officials framed coal as essential to America’s energy grid and industrial competitiveness. Energy Secretary Chris Wright noted that emergency measures to keep coal plants running had prevented blackouts during severe cold earlier in 2026. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum called coal the foundation of affordable, reliable energy supporting AI and manufacturing.
– It is the foundation of affordable, reliable, and secure American energy that powers our country, our electric grid, our competitiveness in artificial intelligence, and the entire manufacturing industry that is coming back – Burgum said.
The push comes amid rising energy costs triggered by the war with Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for oil and gas shipments. Trump argued the investment would save American consumers $50 billion in power generation costs that would otherwise be passed on as higher bills. He also pointed to successful nations that rely on coal, adding that coal is a great business and there is nothing better for energy.
– Coal is a great business. When it comes to energy, there is nothing better – Trump stated.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. ROMAN PILIPEY / PAP/EPA
