Trump administration dismantles the legal framework of U.S. climate policy

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has revoked a landmark finding that greenhouse gases pose a threat to public health, stripping away the legal foundation for federal climate regulations.

The move marks the first time in 17 years the agency has not classified greenhouse gases as a danger. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the decision is intended to eliminate redundant regulations and reduce costs.

The 2009 "endangerment finding" served as the primary legal basis for U.S. emissions standards. Its repeal will be used immediately to roll back tailpipe emission standards for cars and trucks, and could eventually be applied to power plant regulations.

President Donald Trump supported the move, having previously characterized the original regulation as a "scam on the country."

Critics and environmental advocates warned the decision puts lives at risk as the effects of climate change intensify. Scientists labeled the reversal a rejection of basic laws of physics and argued the move lacks a legitimate scientific basis.

Environmental groups have already vowed to challenge the EPA’s action in court.

This is more than a routine policy pivot; it represents a systematic dismantling of the legal architecture that has underpinned U.S. federal climate action for nearly two decades. By rescinding the "endangerment finding," the Trump administration is effectively stripping the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of its primary statutory authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, targeting everything from vehicle tailpipes to industrial power plants.

The move is set to trigger a protracted and costly legal battle likely to be settled by the Supreme Court, a verdict that could redefine the trajectory of American environmental law for a generation. On the global stage, the decision severely erodes U.S. credibility in multilateral climate negotiations. When one of the world’s largest emitters abdicates its commitments, it sets a destabilizing precedent that threatens to fracture international climate frameworks.

For Vietnam, which remains among the nations most vulnerable to climate change, the implications are both direct and existential. Rising sea levels are already encroaching on the Mekong Delta, the country’s primary agricultural engine and a critical component of regional food security. A surge in U.S. emissions will inevitably accelerate the extreme weather patterns that jeopardize Hanoi’s long-term sustainable development goals. Ultimately, Washington’s domestic deregulatory agenda is externalizing significant environmental and economic costs onto coastal nations like Vietnam.

While this decision does not explicitly target Vietnamese-American enterprises, our community is bound to feel its indirect effects. A significant portion of the diaspora is concentrated in coastal hubs throughout California, Texas, and Florida—regions increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather. Rising emissions threaten to bring more frequent flooding, intense wildfires, and powerful storms that pose a direct risk to our homes, families, and the small businesses that anchor our community, from local nail salons to phở restaurants in various Little Saigons. Beyond the immediate physical danger, the resulting surge in insurance premiums and the constant threat of operational disruptions represent very real economic challenges for Vietnamese-American business owners.