The environmental legacy of President Trump

President Trump had a profound, largely adverse impact on environmental and climate policy, both domestically and internationally. This article examines Trump’s environmental tenure and legacy, examining policies and regulations, but also norms, values and discourse. Drawing on insights from new institutionalism, the article examines three different dimensions of Trump’s potential environmental legacy – organisational, policy and ideational. Re-visiting and adapting core institutionalist assumptions, the analysis suggests a decisive factor determining Trump’s legacy is not his own actions and narrative but rather how - and how successfully - other institutional actors support, spread or counter them. The article finds that while Trump’s impact on organisations, regulations and even policies can be diluted (and his legacy diminished), Trump’s attack on the norms and trust underpinning environmental action may be more long lasting.