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Washington, D.C. — In a historic first, solar energy outperformed coal in the United States in May 2026. This milestone arrives despite Donald Trump’s anti-renewable energy policy.
Since taking office, Donald Trump has launched attack after attack on renewable energy, including: slashing federal grants, issuing stop work orders on wind projects, and even paying off energy companies to abandon renewable projects in favor of more fossil fuels. Last week, Donald Trump doubled down, handing Big Coal more than $700 million in taxpayer money in his continued failed efforts to prop up the flailing fuel source at taxpayer’s expense.
In the first half of 2025, renewable energy overtook coal as the largest source of electricity globally. Solar energy is now the cheapest source of energy, and reliably produces energy during extreme weather when fossil fuels fail.
In response, Sierra Club Climate Policy Director Patrick Drupp issued the following statement:
