Senator Sheldon Whitehouse has asked Ford CEO Jim Farley to clarify President Trump’s public claim that Farley urged him to "get rid" of environmental rules. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee — already probing two dozen industry groups over the proposed repeal of the 2009 endangerment finding — has expanded the inquiry to include Ford. The endangerment finding gives the EPA authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions; the EPA under Lee Zeldin moved to rescind it, prompting concern from scientists and health experts.
Senators Demand Answers From Ford Over Alleged Role in Trump’s Climate Rollbacks
Donald Trump and Ford’s chief executive, Jim Farley, at a Ford production center in Dearborn, Michigan, on 13 January 2026.Photograph: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters(Photograph: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse has asked Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley to clarify comments by President Donald Trump that suggested Ford lobbied the administration to repeal the 2009 "endangerment finding" — the EPA determination that enables federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions.
What the Senate Is Investigating
In September, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee opened inquiries into roughly two dozen oil companies, thinktanks, law firms and trade associations to determine whether industry actors pushed the White House to rescind the 2009 finding. The committee, chaired by Senator Whitehouse (D-RI), has now expanded that probe to include Ford.
In a letter to Farley, Whitehouse wrote that he sought "clarification about comments that President Donald Trump made suggesting that Ford Motor Company — and you, specifically — have played a significant role in advocating for the repeal of long-settled rules and regulations meant to protect human health and the environment."
Trump's Comment and Ford's Role
"He calls me all the time: 'Can we get rid of this environmental piece of garbage?'"
Trump made that remark while visiting a Ford factory in Michigan and gesturing toward Farley; he did not identify which rules he meant. Whitehouse told the Guardian the comment sounded like evidence of industry influence, and the committee has asked Ford to explain whether and how it advocated for specific rollbacks.
Why the Endangerment Finding Matters
The 2009 endangerment finding concludes that a buildup of greenhouse gases endangers public health and welfare, giving the Environmental Protection Agency the authority to limit heat-trapping emissions from vehicles, power plants and other sources. The EPA under Administrator Lee Zeldin announced in July that it would move to rescind that determination, drawing alarm from scientists, public health experts and environmental groups.
Ford's Public Position
Ford has publicly supported some emissions-reduction efforts — including pledges to reach net-zero emissions for its own operations and support for the Paris Agreement — while also opposing certain regulations. CEO Jim Farley praised the recent rollback of fuel-economy standards as aligning rules with "market realities." Ford remains a member of industry groups such as the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers that have opposed some EPA actions.
Responses and Next Steps
Whitehouse warned that rolling back the endangerment finding would "benefit polluters and their enablers" and argued it would harm public health and the economy. The Guardian has contacted Ford for comment. The repeal is expected to move forward, though the White House review timeline could delay final action.
Note: This article summarizes developments in a congressional inquiry expanding to include a major automaker and explains why the endangerment finding is central to U.S. climate regulation.
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