The Biden-Harris administration has been waging war on American car buyers for years.
Working families are getting crushed by skyrocketing vehicle prices thanks to the Left’s obsession with their Green New Deal agenda.
And Sean Duffy exposed one illegal Biden scheme that left drivers stunned.
Biden’s illegal fuel economy standards get the axe
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy just dropped a bombshell that has Democrat politicians scrambling for cover.
In June 2025, Duffy announced that the Biden-Harris administration’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards were flat-out illegal.¹
The Biden regime’s rules demanded that automakers achieve an average of 50 miles per gallon for light-duty vehicles by 2031 — a completely unrealistic target that would’ve crushed American car manufacturers.
But here’s the kicker.
Duffy discovered that Biden’s team violated federal law by factoring electric vehicles into CAFE calculations, something that’s been banned under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.¹
Federal law requires NHTSA to establish "maximum feasible" mpg goals for gas-powered vehicles, weighing technology, cost, and energy savings. But it explicitly prohibits counting EVs — classified as "dedicated alternative fuel vehicles" — in these calculations.¹
Biden’s rules assumed massive EV growth that simply wasn’t happening in the real world.
Instead of letting the free market decide, Biden’s bureaucrats were essentially mandating that Americans buy expensive electric vehicles they didn’t want.
This raised costs for automakers, who had to invest heavily in electric models or face hefty fines from Washington, D.C.
Major automakers finally get relief from Biden’s Green New Deal nightmare
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation backed Duffy’s assessment that Biden’s approach broke statutory limits.
Major automakers like GM, Ford, and Stellantis have been saying for years that Biden’s targets were unrealistic and forced them to prioritize expensive EVs over the popular gas-powered SUVs and trucks that American families actually want to buy.¹
Biden’s rules, finalized in 2024, demanded 2% annual efficiency gains for cars starting in 2027 and light trucks in 2029, banking on a surge in electric vehicle sales.¹
The whole scheme was based on the fantasy that electric vehicle sales would surge — despite the fact that EVs remain pricier and less popular than gas vehicles.
A rigged credit system allowed EV manufacturers like Tesla to sell excess credits to traditional automakers, earning billions while driving up costs for companies making the gas-powered vehicles Americans actually want.¹
It was a classic example of government picking winners and losers instead of letting competition work.
Duffy’s new interpretive rule, "Resetting the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Program," doesn’t change standards immediately but empowers the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to revise them soon.¹
The Trump administration is promising that resetting CAFE will cut manufacturing costs, make cars more affordable, and let families choose what they drive — whether it’s gas, hybrid, or electric.
Here’s how much money this could save American families
This decision will directly impact American families when they shop for their next vehicle.
Duffy’s rollback means real savings for working families across the country.
Scrapping Biden’s illegal rules will lower production costs, letting automakers offer cheaper vehicles, especially affordable models for families and small businesses.¹
High CAFE standards drove up car prices by requiring costly technology like turbochargers or hybrid systems that most Americans don’t want to pay for.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation suggests this rollback could revive entry-level cars that working families can actually afford.¹
Biden’s strict standards pushed carmakers toward expensive EVs while sidelining the gas-powered SUVs and trucks that lead U.S. sales.
Looser rules will bring more variety back to car lots, including heavier, safer designs that perform better in crashes.¹
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans proposed scrapping fines for automakers missing CAFE targets with gas-powered vehicles as part of a June 2025 tax bill.¹
These moves aim to ease the regulatory burden on American car manufacturers and shift away from Biden’s EV-heavy policies.
Biden’s Green New Deal was always about control, not the environment
Biden’s rules were supposed to save 64 billion gallons of gas and cut 659 million metric tons of emissions by 2050.¹
Biden’s team argued the rules would save drivers about $600 per vehicle in fuel costs over its lifetime.¹
But here’s what they didn’t tell you.
Electric vehicles often produce more emissions than efficient gasoline-powered vehicles in areas like the Midwest that use coal power plants.¹
Biden’s climate change agenda was built on forcing Americans to buy products they don’t want while ignoring the real-world consequences.
Environmental groups like the Environmental Defense Fund cheered Biden’s illegal standards because they cared more about their radical agenda than helping American families.¹
The truth is that the Biden administration weaponized CAFE standards to force EV adoption, connecting it to climate goals and the Inflation Reduction Act’s massive EV subsidies.¹
It was never about giving consumers choice — it was about government control.
Trump’s America First energy agenda delivers for working families
President Trump’s January 2025 executive orders "Unleashing American Energy" and "Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions" directed federal agencies to ditch EV mandates and boost American fossil fuel production.¹
This is exactly what Trump promised during his campaign.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin is also rethinking emissions rules and California’s insane 2035 gas car ban, signaling a complete retreat from the Left’s green policies.¹
The timing couldn’t be better for American automakers who’ve been struggling with EV investments and sluggish sales.
Companies like Stellantis delayed their electric Ram pickup and doubled down on gas models after Trump’s election victory.¹
That’s the free market at work.
Duffy’s rule is just the beginning.
NHTSA will soon propose new standards that will likely ease mpg targets and exclude EVs from the calculations.¹
Senate plans to eliminate fines could further relax enforcement, giving American carmakers room to compete globally.¹
The rollback aligns perfectly with Trump’s promise of affordability and choice for American families.
Whether you prefer gas, hybrid, or electric vehicles, you deserve rules that balance cost, choice, and American energy independence — not the government picking winners and losers.
Sean Duffy just proved that when you put America First, working families win.
¹ Lauren Fix, "Were Biden’s strict fuel economy standards illegal? Sean Duffy says yes," Align, July 7, 2025.
