• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers

3

Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers

3

Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50
PoliticsDonald Trump

Trump promises oil execs to end EVs once and for all in exchange for $1 billion in campaign donations, Washington Post reports

Paolo Confino
By
Paolo Confino
Paolo Confino
Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
Paolo Confino
By
Paolo Confino
Paolo Confino
Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 9, 2024, 2:24 PM ET
Former president Donald Trump
Former President Donald Trump held a meeting with executives from the oil industry in which he pitched himself as a candidate that would roll back regulations they opposed, in exchange for $1 billion in campaign funding. Cheriss May—NurPhoto/Getty Images

The fate of the EV industry might hinge on former President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign. 

Recommended Video

During a meeting in Florida, Trump told a room full of oil executives that in exchange for raising $1 billion in campaign funds for his reelection bid he would roll back a slew of environmental regulations, according to a report from the Washington Post. The oil executives reportedly balked at the transactional nature of Trump’s comments. 

Spending $1 billion to send him back to the White House would be a “deal” for the executives in attendance because of all the regulation and taxes they would avoid if he were in office, Trump said, according to the Post. 

Executives from Chevron, Exxon, and Occidental Petroleum were among the attendees, the Post reported. The Trump campaign, Chevron, and Occidental Petroleum did not respond to a request for comment from Fortune. Representatives from Exxon declined to comment. 

Included in those future regulatory cuts was a promise to undo a series of regulations meant to encourage automakers to invest in and manufacture more electric vehicles. The specific policy limits the amount of carbon emissions allowed from a car’s tailpipes. The new regulation essentially forces car companies to make more electric vehicles, which don’t have any tailpipe emissions. A transition away from gas-powered vehicles toward electric vehicles would harm energy companies that produce the gasoline that powers the cars targeted by the policy. According to the Post, Trump called the policy “ridiculous.”

That regulation in particular has drawn the attention of the oil and gas companies, which have spent millions in a lobbying campaign against it. They claim the policy is a de facto ban on combustion engine vehicles. The rule has also encountered strong resistance at the state level. Last month, just a few weeks after the regulation was announced, a group of 25 states sued to stop it on the grounds it would hurt the economy. 

Trump’s promise to reverse the regulation as soon as he took office comes at a time when the EV industry is already underwater. It’s facing declining consumer demand and industrywide struggles to develop a national charging network. Lawmakers around the world have also seized on the electric vehicle transition as a political boogeyman they say would raise prices for consumers and hurt domestic energy companies. President Joe Biden’s administration has moved to incentivize EV adoption, offering a $7,500 tax credit for households that bought one. 

Should Trump’s hopes come to fruition, they could upset some of the carefully laid plans of U.S. automakers that have invested billions on electric vehicles. GM, Ford, and Stellantis have all pledged to open factories specifically for EVs and the batteries that power them across the country. However, all three recently pared back their plans amid waning consumer demand. 

Throughout the meeting Trump reportedly also promised to get rid of other current regulations that energy companies have lobbied against. For example, Trump said he would remove the pause on export permits on liquified natural gas that the Biden administration had implemented, as it evaluated their environmental impact. During the exchange Trump also told executives that he would allow oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and the Alaskan Arctic. 

Those regulatory cuts are in stark contrast to Biden’s energy policies, which on Thursday were lauded by a group of 20 climate change organizations.

Subscribe to Fortune Gulf Brief. Every Tuesday, this new newsletter will deliver clear-eyed, authoritative intelligence on the deals, decisions, policies, and power shifts shaping one of the world’s most consequential regions, written for the people who need to act on it. Sign up here.
About the Author
Paolo Confino
By Paolo ConfinoReporter

Paolo Confino is a former reporter on Fortune’s global news desk where he covers each day’s most important stories.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Politics

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Politics

As U.S.-Iran deal nears, Trump ally warns against creating perception Tehran controls Hormuz — ‘it makes one wonder why the war started to begin with’
PoliticsIran
As U.S.-Iran deal nears, Trump ally warns against creating perception Tehran controls Hormuz — ‘it makes one wonder why the war started to begin with’
By Jason MaMay 23, 2026
46 minutes ago
Trump says a deal with Iran that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz has been ‘largely negotiated’
PoliticsIran
Trump says a deal with Iran that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz has been ‘largely negotiated’
By Munir Ahmed, Samy Magdy, Matthew Lee and The Associated PressMay 23, 2026
2 hours ago
o
PoliticsOregon
Oregon Democrats wrote a gas tax, watched it get destroyed and now Jeff Merkley has a fight
By Claire Rush and The Associated PressMay 23, 2026
6 hours ago
t
North AmericaMedia
‘Hello, Goodbye’: Paul McCartney closed the lights on a Late Show that CBS couldn’t cancel quietly
By Mark Kennedy and The Associated PressMay 23, 2026
6 hours ago
t
PoliticsCongress
Rebellious Republicans find voice in Trump apostate Thom Tillis: ‘stupid on stilts’ and a ‘payout for punks’
By Lisa Mascaro, Joey Cappelletti and The Associated PressMay 23, 2026
7 hours ago
mitch
PoliticsWhite House
Even Mitch McConnell is mortified by Trump’s $1.8 billion ‘slush fund to pay people who assault cops’
By Eric Tucker, Alanna Durkin Richer and The Associated PressMay 23, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
2 days ago
Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers
Success
Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers
By Emma BurleighMay 22, 2026
1 day ago
Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50
Success
Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50
By Preston ForeMay 22, 2026
1 day ago
Microsoft reports are exposing AI's real cost problem: Using the tech is more expensive than paying human employees
AI
Microsoft reports are exposing AI's real cost problem: Using the tech is more expensive than paying human employees
By Jake AngeloMay 22, 2026
1 day ago
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Workplace Culture
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
4 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 22, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 22, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 22, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.