America at a Crossroads: Building a United Front Against Trumpism and Environmental Rollbacks
President Donald Trump, following recent military action in Iran that he called a “spectacular military success,” is now facing growing opposition at home — not only from political critics, but from millions of Americans concerned about the direction of the country under his leadership.
On June 14, five million Americans took to the streets in protest. It was a powerful start, but rallies alone won’t be enough. With over 1,300 days left in Trump’s term and the next national election still nearly 500 days away, the priority must shift to mobilizing voters and electing leaders who are committed to restoring democratic norms, environmental protections, and social justice.
Why This Matters
Trump’s actions are impacting nearly every part of American society. His administration has worked to eliminate environmental regulations, block diversity efforts in businesses, and shut down climate programs across federal agencies. He’s pushed fossil fuel production under the guise of a national “energy emergency,” and frozen incentives meant to encourage clean energy. Even basic terms like “climate change,” “diversity,” and “science-based” have been scrubbed from government websites.
These are not isolated moves. They are part of a broader pattern—an attempt to reshape the role of government, suppress scientific discourse, and weaken safeguards designed to protect public health and the environment.
Where We Stand
Despite Trump’s crackdown, there’s immense untapped potential in American civil society. The U.S. has:
- 32,000 environmental organizations
- Over 1.5 million non-governmental groups focused on democracy, justice, and public accountability
- 150,000 employees working within the environmental movement
- $83 billion in collective environmental assets
Researchers say that just 25% of a population can drive real political change. Yet, public identification with environmentalism has dropped in recent decades, not because people care less—but because the issue has been politicized. Environmental advocates need to join forces, separate climate action from partisan labels, and refocus the conversation on clean air, safe water, and public health—things everyone needs.
Naming the Enablers
To mount an effective resistance, we must call out the institutions enabling Trump’s agenda:
- Collaborators: Major corporations that supported Trump’s campaign or administration, including Amazon, Meta, Johnson & Johnson, AT&T, Coca-Cola, Uber, Airbnb, and Coinbase.
- Capitulators: Universities, law firms, and organizations that gave in to Trump’s pressure. Columbia University faced student protests after such a decision, and now companies like Microsoft and Oracle are shifting away from law firms seen as too cozy with Trump.
- Backtrackers: Companies that made climate promises but are abandoning them. ExxonMobil, Walmart, Shell, Delta, and others pledged to reach net-zero carbon goals, but few are making meaningful progress.
- Greenwashers: Businesses that talk about sustainability but don’t back it up. A Forbes report revealed that only 4% of companies promising net-zero goals are actually on track. Meanwhile, Chevron, Exxon, and others are set to cause $300 billion in climate damage per year by 2030.
Even major U.S. banks have walked away from global climate alliances. In 2024 alone, American banks funneled $290 trillion into fossil fuel projects.
What We Must Do
Now is the time for a massive, organized, and long-term pushback against Trumpism and environmental rollbacks. NGOs, businesses, faith groups, and citizens must come together across ideological lines to restore truth, science, democracy, and sustainability.
This fight can’t be left to the next president. With every new administration, policies swing back and forth. Lasting change comes from deep, consistent public support for what is fair, factual, and just.
As the Trump administration continues to weaken environmental protections and chip away at democratic institutions, the need for unity has never been more urgent. Our society has the numbers, the tools, and the will. Now we need the focus.
If we don’t act now, the damage won’t just last four years—it could reshape the country for generations.
