More than 3.5 million US clean energy jobs at risk? Trump’s UN criticism of renewables as ‘too expensive’ raises alarm amid data showing sector employs more than nurses, cashiers, and teachers

President Donald Trump delivered a sharply critical speech on renewable energy at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, September 23 dismissing clean energy sources as ineffective and costly. His remarks directly challenge the scientific consensus on climate change and come at a time when the US clean energy sector employs more than 3.5 million people, as more Americans working in the sector than as servers or cashiers.

During his address, President Trump made unsubstantiated claims about renewable energy and climate change. He said that clean energy sources such as solar and wind “don’t work” and are “too expensive.” Trump warned that the economics of renewable energy are harming the economy and resulting in higher energy costs. He described renewable energy as “a joke” and said they are not powerful enough to meet modern infrastructure needs.

Reality check: Renewables drive energy growth

ABC News fact-checked this claim and said in 2024, 80 per cent of the growth in global electricity generation came from renewable and nuclear sources, which together contributed 40 per cent of the world’s total electricity generation for the first time. Solar and wind alone accounted for 16 per cent of the United States’ electricity, surpassing coal. Renewable energy sources are forecast to meet approximately 95 per cent of global electricity demand growth through 2027.


The outlet cited the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) report and said that more than 90 per cent of new renewable projects are now cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives. In 2024, solar photovoltaics were, on average, 41 per cent cheaper than the lowest-cost fossil fuel options, while onshore wind projects were 53 per cent cheaper.

Clean energy job scenario

Clean energy job growth has been one of the sector’s major successes. According to E2, a clean energy advocacy group, the US added close to 100,000 jobs in solar, wind, batteries, energy efficiency, grid upgrades, biofuels, and electric vehicles in 2024. Wind turbine technician and solar installer are currently the fastest-growing jobs in America.

The report says that over 3.5 million Americans now hold clean energy sector jobs, more than are employed as nurses, cashiers, servers, or elementary school teachers, as claimed by a Yale Environment 360 report.

But growth is slowing and Trump’s policies may worsen it

Despite the strong job numbers, clean energy job growth slowed in 2024, with the US adding 50,000 fewer clean energy jobs compared to 2023. Analysts attribute this slowdown to a weakening economy and uncertainty about energy policy.

Since President Trump took office, the administration has taken steps that critics say threaten the clean energy industry’s growth. These include blocking renewable energy projects on federal lands and waters, slashing tax credits for clean technology, and introducing new regulatory hurdles for solar, wind, and electric vehicles, according to a previous analysis from E2.

That analysis found that in the first half of 2025, businesses canceled $22 billion worth of clean energy projects projects that would have created more than 16,500 jobs, most of them in Republican strongholds.