President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order Tuesday to boost domestic coal production and use, aiming to power energy-intensive data centers and revive the shrinking U.S. coal industry, according to Mining.com and Bloomberg.
According to a senior White House official, the order will restart coal leasing on federal land, label coal a “critical mineral,” and fast-track coal exports and related technologies. “The U.S. is back in the business of selling coal,” the official said.
The report said it remains uncertain whether the move will reverse coal’s decline, driven by cheaper natural gas, renewables, and environmental regulations. Tech firms prioritizing clean energy may resist switching to coal.
Still, the administration frames the effort as a national security issue, linking coal-powered data centers to America’s edge in artificial intelligence. “The U.S. is way ahead right now in the AI race with China,” Trump said Monday, emphasizing the need for reliable electricity to stay ahead.
Trump, who campaigned on reviving coal in both 2016 and 2024, is also considering emergency measures to reopen closed coal plants and block future closures. He’ll sign the order at 3 p.m. in the White House East Room, joined by mining executives from Peabody Energy, Core Natural Resources, and Ramaco Resources.
Trump has long argued that previous administrations “waged war on coal” through burdensome regulations and leasing restrictions. His new executive order aims to reverse that by ending the leasing moratorium started under Obama, directing the Interior Department to expand coal leasing on federal lands, and instructing agencies to remove policies that discourage coal use. T
he order also pushes to designate coal a “critical mineral,” elevating its strategic importance alongside materials vital for defense and batteries. Trump’s National Energy Dominance Council and Energy Secretary Chris Wright will oversee efforts to prioritize coal in both power generation and steelmaking.
The shift could spur coal companies to reclaim territory lost over decades—federal coal leases have dropped from 489 in 1990 to just 279 in 2023. Today, coal supplies about 15% of U.S. electricity, down from over 50% in 2000, as hundreds of plants have shut down.
Trump’s EPA is rolling back regulations on mercury and carbon emissions, while his administration seeks to boost coal exports and coal-tech abroad. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum calls coal “affordable and reliable,” crucial for surging power needs from data centers and electrification. Still, critics warn that true energy security requires a broader mix, especially as components for fossil-fuel infrastructure grow harder to source.
Maybe they can finally put out that coal fire in Valkenvania.