WATCH LIVE: Trump expected to announce $700m investment in coal plants, exports

By — Matthew Daly, Associated Press Matthew Daly, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-trump-expected-to-announce-700m-investment-in-coal-plants-exports Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH LIVE: Trump expected to announce $700m investment in coal plants, exports Politics Jun 4, 2026 1:19 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is again seeking to boost the struggling U.S. coal industry, with an announcement expected Thursday to spend nearly $700 million to support coal-fired power plants and coal exports. Trump is expected to speak ay 3 p.m. EDT. Watch live in our video player above. A White House official said the administration will use authority under a Cold War-era national defense law to support 13 coal plants across the country and help build coal plants in Alaska and West Virginia — the first new U.S. coal plants since 2013. The money will also help restart a coal-fired power plant in Maryland and support construction of a long-delayed coal export terminal in Oakland, California. READ MORE: EPA proposes gutting rules for handling toxic coal ash, a move that threatens groundwater Together, the announcements will support or create more than 14,000 jobs in coal, construction, rail and maritime industries, a White House official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the details ahead of Trump's expected announcement later Thursday at the White House. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Trump is expected to be joined Thursday by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin. The announcement is the latest step by Trump to try to reverse the years-long decline in the U.S. coal industry. The administration said last fall it will open 13 million acres of federal lands for coal mining and provide $625 million to recommission or modernize coal-fired power plants. Trump issued executive orders soon after retaking office to try to revive coal, a reliable but polluting energy source that's long been shrinking amid environmental regulations and competition from cheaper natural gas. READ MORE: As Trump throws lifeline to coal plants, critics warn of higher costs and health risks Bloomberg News first reported the new funds for coal. Under Trump's orders, the Energy Department has required fossil-fueled power plants in Michigan, Indiana, Colorado and Washington state to keep operating past their retirement dates to meet rising U.S. power demand amid growth in data centers, artificial intelligence and electric cars. The Energy Department has extended short-term orders to allow those efforts to continue, and has ordered oil and gas-fired plants in Maryland and Pennsylvania to run past scheduled retirement dates. Wright has s