President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he planned to sharply scale back fuel-efficiency rules for new cars and light trucks, effectively gutting one of the federal government’s most significant efforts to reduce gasoline consumption.

Trump announced on Saturday that it was a “big day” for American autoworkers and car buyers. “I have just approved new Fuel Economy Standards that TERMINATE Sleepy Joe Biden and Pete Boot-EDGE-EDGE’s ridiculous EV Mandate,” the president proudly boasted.

“The Dumocrats cost our Great Auto Manufacturers $Billions, forced Americans into cars they never wanted, and wasted Billions on Chargers that were never built,” he added. “These new Standards will take the waste out of building cars in America.”

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Under Trump’s new standards, it allegedly means lower prices that would save families thousands of dollars on a brand-new car. “That means LOWER PRICES, saving families thousands on a new, beautiful, and safe car — Far better than the Environmental Monsters that we were building heretofore,” Trump added.

“Every Manufacturer, from General Motors to Ford to Stellantis, has called me wanting to build here, and now they can!” boasted Trump. “Under my Administration, over $100 billion is being invested in American Autos, and that’s just the beginning,” he added.The post continued, “The Plants are coming back, and Jobs are returning, to Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, South Carolina, and all over our Country.” Trump’s post concluded, “Thank you to our Great Secretaries of Transportation and Commerce, Sean Duffy and Howard Lutnick. AMERICA IS BACK. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

Reckless

News of the deal has drawn criticism from several environmentalists, including Dan Becker, director of the Center for Biological Diversity’s Safe Climate Transport Campaign. According to Becker, the final rule “ignores the feasibility of clean technology and the millions of fuel-efficient cars already on the road.”

Becker argues that weaker fuel-economy standards will result in less fuel-efficient new cars, which will cause Americans who buy those vehicles to consume more gasoline and therefore spend more on fuel over the life of the vehicle. “Trump is tanking sensible mile per gallon standards at the worst possible time for consumers, who are getting hit with sky-high prices at the pump,” Becker said in a statement.

“Consumers will pay the price for these reckless rollbacks while Trump’s Big Oil and Big Auto buddies reap the short-term profits,” added Becker. The brand-new rule was proposed back in December and would require automakers to achieve an average fuel efficiency of 34.5 miles per gallon for cars and light trucks in model year 2031, down from the current standard of 50.4 miles per gallon set by the Biden administration.

While Trump claimed that his rule would make cars cheaper, Congress had already eliminated fines for automakers that don’t meet the standard, rendering the rollback on Monday largely a symbolic victory. It comes as many Americans are already feeling the sting at the gas pump due to the president’s prolonged war in Iran.

Last week, a supporter of the president pleaded with him to address the skyrocketing diesel prices. “President Trump, I’ve supported you since you came down the escalator. I still support you… I’m begging you, you’ve got to end it,” He said.

“You’ve got to do something,” he added. “Diesel fuel just broke $6 a gallon. This truck behind me is $275,000. I can’t afford to let it leave the garage now.”

The man did not identify himself, but was wearing a T-shirt with the company logo ‘A.F. Pacillo General Contractors’ on the front. He added that he can’t pass on the higher cost of fuel to his customers.