President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order reclassifying coal as a critical mineral in a bid to bolster the declining industry, according to Bloomberg. The order will also require certain coal-fired power plants slated for closure to remain operational, framed as a response to rising electricity demand driven by data centers and AI infrastructure.
Despite the move, coal’s role in U.S. energy production continues to shrink. Once supplying over half the nation’s electricity, it now accounts for just 15%. Experts note that market forces — especially cheap natural gas and renewables — remain the primary obstacles to any coal resurgence.
