A Courageous Stand for American Prosperity
President Trump has struck a powerful blow for the American people. On June 12, 2025, he signed a Presidential Memorandum that dismantles a Biden administration executive action fixated on granting 'equitable treatment for fish' in the Columbia River Basin. This decisive move champions reliable energy, supports farmers, and shields families from soaring costs. Biden's policy, cloaked in climate concerns, endangered the Pacific Northwest's economic foundation. Trump's response sends a clear signal: the needs of Americans take precedence.
Biden's memorandum, dressed up as a plan to restore salmon and steelhead, placed speculative environmental goals above human well-being. It mandated millions in federal spending and a complex 36-page set of rules that would have hampered dam operations on the Lower Snake River. Trump rejected this overreach. His memorandum directs agencies to exit those agreements, reallocate funds, and simplify environmental reviews. This is leadership that prioritizes clarity and action over bureaucratic clutter.
The stakes are immense. The Columbia River Basin's dams produce over 3,000 megawatts of clean, dependable hydropower, enough to light up 2.5 million homes. Removing them, as Biden's plan risked, would drive up energy bills, cut water supplies for agriculture, and disrupt shipping routes. Trump's action defends real people, workers, families, and communities against policies that promise idealism but deliver hardship.
Trump acknowledges the value of the Columbia Basin's ecosystems. His approach seeks practical solutions that preserve dams while addressing conservation sensibly. This ensures Americans aren't forced to choose between nature and prosperity, fostering a vision grounded in balance.
Powering America's Future
Trump's memorandum reflects a broader commitment to unleash America's energy potential. His focus is unwavering: secure affordable energy to fuel economic growth. On day one, he declared a National Energy Emergency to boost domestic production and lower costs. He's revitalized coal, expanded Arctic drilling, and removed barriers to Alaska's resource development. These steps aim to keep energy reliable and budgets manageable for every American.
Biden's fish-focused policy ignored harsh realities. Breaching dams would have cost billions, disrupted farming, and eliminated recreational opportunities. It also would have sacrificed hydropower, a zero-carbon energy source, for uncertain climate gains. History supports Trump's priorities. The U.S. shale revolution, driven by deregulation, made America the world's leading oil and gas producer by 2018, reducing energy costs and generating jobs. Trump's policies build on that success, delivering measurable benefits and practical outcomes.
Environmental groups raise alarms about salmon, yet their arguments lack perspective. Despite decades of mitigation, wild salmon runs remain below 2 percent of historical levels. Pouring more funds into fish passage or demolishing dams will not solve the problem. Such actions will only strain communities. Trump's strategy ensures dams endure while agencies pursue realistic conservation measures, balancing wildlife needs with human priorities.
Unmasking Biden's Flawed Vision
Biden's team pitched their Columbia Basin plan as a triumph for tribes, states, and ecosystems. The reality was less inspiring. The 2023 Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement vowed to recover salmon but pushed studies on dam breaching that overlooked devastating consequences: higher electricity costs, reduced irrigation, and the loss of 3,000 megawatts of power. While tribes and environmentalists applauded, farmers, shippers, and utilities braced for chaos. Trump's memorandum reveals the plan's disconnect from practical needs.
Advocates for dam removal lean on emotional appeals, urging action to save salmon and uphold treaty rights. Yet their stance falters under scrutiny. They've long opposed hydropower, which supplies 7 percent of U.S. electricity without emissions, while ignoring the scale of loss. The 2024 Klamath River dam removals, costing nearly $500 million, restored 400 river miles but retired just 150 megawatts. The Snake River's 3,000 megawatts dwarf that. The numbers expose the weakness of their case.
Opponents of Trump's decision will decry environmental neglect, but their record invites skepticism. Biden's $369 billion Inflation Reduction Act poured funds into clean energy, yet U.S. emissions barely shifted. Trump's deregulation has driven double-digit stock gains for oil and gas firms in 2025, with projections of 200,000 new jobs. His approach delivers affordable energy and economic strength, providing tangible results.
Building a Stronger America
Trump's memorandum lays the foundation for a thriving America. By preserving the Columbia Basin's dams, he protects affordable energy, supports agriculture, and sustains jobs. His energy agenda, spanning coal, oil, gas, and streamlined permitting, aims to reduce costs and spark growth. This strategy recognizes that economic strength enables smarter environmental solutions without devastating livelihoods.
The Pacific Northwest's dams are vital infrastructure, serving as essential components. Historical policies, like the 1976 Federal Land Policy and Management Act, sought to balance resource use with conservation. Trump's actions align with that principle, ensuring federal lands and waters benefit the public and broader interests. His focus on grid reliability and job growth resonates with Americans weary of policies that elevate wildlife above human needs.
Trump's leadership charts a confident course. He rejects environmental overreach that undermines prosperity, betting on American resources and ingenuity to forge a future where energy is accessible, jobs abound, and conservation respects practical realities. This vision empowers every American, uniting communities in pursuit of a stronger, more prosperous nation.