Tesla asks EPA not to roll back emissions rules as Trump calls climate change a ‘con job’

Tesla has urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) not to roll back existing vehicle emissions standards, diverging from other major automakers that have called for looser rules. The company’s request came in the same week that President Donald Trump — who Tesla CEO Elon Musk helped elect with $300 million in campaign support — told the United Nations General Assembly that he believes climate change is a “con job” and a “scam.”

Tesla also asked the EPA to preserve the 2009 Endangerment Finding, a legal standard underpinning many modern environmental rules, including vehicle emissions regulations. In its letter, Tesla stated that the finding is “based on a robust factual and scientific record.”

The EPA has been accepting comments since August regarding its proposed rollbacks of climate-related policies. At the time, EPA administrator Lee Zeldin argued that passing the proposals would drive “a dagger into the heart of the climate change religion.”

Tesla’s stated mission is to “accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.” However, the company also profits directly from stricter regulations. When other automakers fail to meet fleet emissions targets, they purchase compliance credits from Tesla — a program originally developed in California that has also faced criticism from Republican lawmakers.

While Tesla is advocating for maintaining the current standards, the company told the EPA it is “open to discussing mechanisms to streamline” the rules to ensure their continuation.