# Trump's war sparks accidental environmentalism

> Trump's Iran war accelerates clean energy but undermines US climate progress.
- Title: Trump's war sparks accidental environmentalism · Mother Jones
- Summary: Trump's Iran war accelerates clean energy but undermines US climate progress. Trump's Iran war has spurred global clean energy investment but his policies…
- Keywords: donald trump, iran war, clean energy, renewables, fossil fuels, gavin newsom, carbon brief, international energy agency, solar panels, wind power, exxon, panama
- Source: Mother Jones — https://motherjones.com/politics/2026/10/donald-trump-accidental-environmentalist-gavin-newsom-climate-week-iran-war-dirty-energy-renewables-transition
- Author: Oliver Milman
- Published: 2026-10-04T08:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: donald trump, iran war, clean energy, renewables, fossil fuels, gavin newsom, carbon brief, international energy agency, solar panels, wind power, exxon, panama
## Trump's Iran war
President Donald Trump launched the war with Iran on October 1, 2026.
## Global clean energy shift
Countries cut oil use and switched to solar and wind power after the war began.
## Emissions drop
Global fossil fuel emissions are projected to drop 0.5 percent this year.
## US environmental rollback
Trump's administration weakened pollution rules and cut renewable energy projects.
## Trump's environmental stance
Trump called environmentalists terrorists and dismissed climate change as a hoax.
## Gavin Newsom's view
Gavin Newsom called Trump the 'greatest gift' to environmentalists due to the Iran war.
## Fossil fuel profits
Major oil companies gained over $90 billion in the first three months of the war.
## Exxon's outlook
Exxon forecasts 105 million barrels of oil daily by 2050, up from 100 million barrels in 2023.
## Panama's view
Panama's environment minister says all oil produced will be burned.
## Global solar surge
Solar installations now exceed 100,000 daily in Africa, with electric cars rising globally.
## Clean energy momentum
Clean energy investment now doubles fossil fuel investment, with most new power from renewables.
## The question
Does Trump's war make him an accidental environmentalist?
## Key takeaway

Trump's Iran war has spurred global clean energy investment but his policies have stalled US renewable progress.