Trump’s Return to the Past

This letter to the editor, by John Krizek, appeared in the Hudson Star Observer on June 19, 2025.

President Trump’s recent push to roll back subsidies for electric vehicles and clean energy, while doubling down on traditional manufacturing and labor-intensive factories, signals a troubling return to the economic mindset of the Gilded Age—an era defined by smokestacks, not silicon chips. This approach is fundamentally at odds with the electrified, AI-driven world that is rapidly shaping our future.

The proposed elimination of federal tax credits for electric vehicles and clean energy projects, as outlined in the so-called “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” threatens to stall America’s progress toward cleaner air and technological leadership. Since the Inflation Reduction Act, over $161 billion has flowed into solar and battery storage, fueling innovation and job creation in sectors poised for explosive growth. Gutting these incentives will not only slow clean energy deployment by up to 57% over the next decade but also undermine the U.S. position in the global race for green technology.

Meanwhile, Trump’s focus on reviving domestic auto manufacturing and imposing tariffs on foreign parts may create some jobs, but it risks tethering the American economy to outdated models of production. While manufacturing jobs are important, the future lies in high-skill sectors powered by artificial intelligence, robotics, and advanced automation. Even as Trump touts a new executive order to “enhance America’s AI leadership,” his policies undercut the very industries—like EVs and renewables—that will be most transformed by AI and automation.

If America is to remain competitive, we must invest in the technologies of tomorrow, not the factories of yesterday. That means supporting AI, robotics, and electrification, not cutting their lifelines. The world is moving toward an electrified, automated future. America should lead that charge, not retreat to the past.