Trump Administration Revokes Key Scientific Finding on Climate Change

President Trump and EPA Administrator Zeldin make false claims about the endangerment finding and climate change impacts

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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The Trump administration has revoked the Environmental Protection Agency's 2009 endangerment finding, which has been the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change. However, President Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin made false claims about the legal basis and scientific evidence behind the endangerment finding, as well as the costs and impacts of climate change.

Why it matters

The endangerment finding was a critical legal and scientific foundation for federal regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change. Revoking this finding could undermine future efforts to combat climate change and protect public health from its impacts.

The details

The endangerment finding was adopted in 2009 by the EPA after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that greenhouse gases are air pollutants that can be regulated under the Clean Air Act. The scientific evidence supporting the finding was provided by the EPA and is still available on the agency's website. Multiple federal courts have upheld the endangerment finding since it was adopted. However, Trump and Zeldin falsely claimed the finding had no basis in fact or law. They also made false claims about the costs of renewable energy sources like wind power, and denied the well-established scientific evidence linking climate change to public health harms.

  • The endangerment finding was adopted in 2009.
  • The Supreme Court ruling that greenhouse gases are air pollutants occurred in 2007.
  • The Trump administration revoked the endangerment finding in 2026.

The players

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who revoked the EPA's endangerment finding.

Lee Zeldin

The former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under the Trump administration.

Ann Carlson

A professor of environmental law at the University of California, Los Angeles who stated that the claim the endangerment finding has no basis in law is "ludicrous".

Carrie Jenks

The executive director of Harvard Law School's environmental and energy law program who disputed the claim that the endangerment finding mandated electric vehicle purchases.

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What they’re saying

“The idea that the endangerment finding has no basis in law is ludicrous. The Supreme Court in Massachusetts v. EPA specifically directed the Environmental Protection Agency to determine whether greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare. The endangerment finding is the result.”

— Ann Carlson, Professor of environmental law, University of California, Los Angeles

“If you looked at some of the tables that were in the Biden rules, you could see that there were a variety of different ways that companies could comply with the standards. The endangerment finding nor the regulations mandated a shift from one type of vehicle to another.”

— Carrie Jenks, Executive director, Harvard Law School's environmental and energy law program

What’s next

The Biden administration may seek to reinstate the endangerment finding or pursue other legal and regulatory avenues to address climate change, though the outcome of such efforts remains uncertain.

The takeaway

The Trump administration's decision to revoke the endangerment finding is a significant setback in the fight against climate change, as it undermines a critical legal and scientific foundation for federal action. However, the strong scientific consensus on climate change and its health impacts remains, and future administrations may seek to restore and build upon the EPA's previous work in this area.