Trump Administration Sues States to Block Climate Lawsuits Against Big Oil

Over 30 states and cities suing oil companies for climate-related damages now face federal pushback, as the Trump administration launches legal action to block their cases. President Trump has labeled climate liability lawsuits a threat to the economy and directed the Justice Department to preemptively sue states like Hawaii and Michigan. Attorney General Pamela Bondi has also filed suits against New York and Vermont, calling their climate accountability laws a national security risk. Despite federal efforts, some state-level cases are advancing, such as one in Colorado upheld by the state’s Supreme Court, while others have been dismissed or abandoned. The lawsuits seek to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for decades of alleged deception about climate risks, drawing comparisons to past legal battles with the tobacco industry. Critics warn the federal government’s aggressive stance could strip states and cities of one of the last tools they have to fund climate adaptation in the absence of national policy.

22-05-2025