Energy Star survives despite Trump administration’s push to eliminate the program

WASHINGTON – Congress has secured the future of the federal Energy Star program, allocating more than $33 million to the energy-efficiency initiative despite previous efforts by the Trump administration to dismantle it.

President Trump signed a bipartisan budget into law that provides dedicated funding for the program, marking a rare policy reversal for the administration. The decision followed intense pressure from the real estate and construction industries to keep the program intact.

Last April, a coalition of more than 1,000 manufacturers, builders, and local governments signed a letter urging lawmakers to maintain Energy Star. The program's new budget, managed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), represents a slight increase over fiscal year 2024 levels.

Despite the funding boost, the program continues to face staffing shortages. These vacancies have slowed the certification process for new energy-efficient products.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has previously questioned the program’s savings calculations, while some conservative groups have pushed for privatization. However, industry experts say privatization is unlikely now that Congress has specifically designated the program's budget.

The resilience of the Energy Star program serves as a definitive case study in the limitations of executive authority when confronted by a broad-based socio-economic coalition. The program’s survival is not merely a win for environmental advocates, but rather the result of sophisticated lobbying by influential industrial sectors, including real estate, construction, and appliance manufacturing. For these stakeholders, the Energy Star label is less a matter of political ideology than a high-value marketing tool and a globally recognized industry standard that drives consumer demand and delivers clear economic dividends.

This policy reversal highlights a persistent friction point within conservative orthodoxy. The debate pits economic libertarians—represented by institutions such as the Heritage Foundation, who advocate for a minimal federal footprint—against pro-business Republicans who view government initiatives as essential when they provide a direct tailwind to core industries. In this legislative skirmish, commercial interests successfully neutralized ideological purity.

However, the threat to the program has likely shifted rather than vanished. While funding has been secured, the administration can still undermine the initiative through "administrative sabotage"—leveraging bureaucratic levers such as staffing freezes and the deliberate slowing of certification processes. Persistent vacancies at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggest that Energy Star may still face a slow strangulation from within the executive branch. This underscores a broader reality in Washington: securing a budget is only the opening gambit; the ultimate success of any policy depends on the rigorous oversight of its day-to-day implementation.

While it may not be a traditional focus of community advocacy, the Energy Star program provides significant financial relief to Vietnamese-American households and small business owners. From the nail salons of Little Saigon to local phở restaurants, energy-efficient appliances help drive down utility bills and reduce the overhead costs that often weigh on our community's entrepreneurs.