In the ongoing battle for America’s energy future, a shadowy network of dark money is empowering Democratic-aligned environmental groups to thwart President Donald Trump’s push for energy dominance. This web of funding, with deep ties to former President Barack Obama and prominent Democrats, is not just a national phenomenon—it’s infiltrating state-level policies in places like California, New York, and New Jersey, where aggressive Net Zero agendas are being pursued at the expense of reliable energy sources. Trump’s energy strategy, unveiled through executive orders in May, emphasizes a “nuclear renaissance” alongside robust fossil fuel production to bolster energy security, reduce reliance on foreign adversaries, and drive economic growth. Yet, groups such as the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and the Sierra Club are vocally opposing these initiatives, framing them as threats to climate progress rather than opportunities for innovation.
Critics argue this opposition stems less from genuine environmental concern and more from a partisan agenda fueled by undisclosed donations.At the heart of this resistance is a complex ecosystem of dark money organizations. Entities like the Tides Foundation, Open Society Foundations (backed by George Soros), the Wyss Foundation, and the New Venture Fund—managed by the progressive consulting firm Arabella Advisors—have funneled millions into these green groups.
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The Tides Foundation, for instance, has been linked to anti-Israel activism and even fiscal sponsorship of groups with controversial international ties, raising questions about foreign influences in U.S. energy policy.
Similarly, the U.S. Energy Foundation has connections to Chinese interests, potentially undermining America’s quest for true energy independence.
Links to Obama and Democrats run deep. NTI, co-founded by media mogul Ted Turner and formerly led by Obama’s Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, boasts executives who have donated heavily to Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and the Democratic National Committee.
Friends of the Earth Action PAC has poured thousands into Democratic campaigns since 2015 and endorsed Harris for president in 2024.
The Sierra Club and Greenpeace, meanwhile, have championed progressive causes like the Green New Deal and supported movements such as Black Lives Matter, aligning their environmental advocacy with broader left-wing politics.
This funding isn’t confined to Washington—it trickles down to states aggressively chasing Net Zero goals, where these groups amplify opposition to fossil fuels and nuclear expansion. California, aiming for Net Zero emissions by 2045, has seen green organizations launch multimillion-dollar ad campaigns to counter oil industry lobbying, often backed by the same dark money networks.
In New York, which targets Net Zero by 2050, Democratic lawmakers are pushing low-carbon fuel policies with support from environmental advocates tied to these funds, while the state’s comptroller rails against Trump’s climate rollbacks.
New Jersey, committed to 100% clean energy by 2050—a de facto Net Zero path—has faced warnings from climate advocates about dark money threats, even as progressive groups use similar tactics to advance their agendas.
These states exemplify how dark money enables a coordinated assault on energy dominance. In California, groups like the Sierra Club have influenced bans on gas appliances and pushed for rapid electrification, mirroring national opposition to Trump’s pro-nuclear stance.
New York’s transportation emissions crackdown, backed by dark money-funded nonprofits like Ceres, prioritizes green mandates over energy reliability.
And in New Jersey, environmental lobbies have shaped policies that could mirror the federal green opposition, potentially hiking energy costs for residents.It’s worth noting that dark money flows both ways—fossil fuel interests have funded efforts to block climate rules in Republican-led states.
However, the scale and opacity of progressive funding, particularly its ties to Obama-era figures, pose a unique challenge to Trump’s vision of unleashing American energy potential.
As Jason Isaac, CEO of the American Energy Institute, aptly put it, these groups are part of a “whole web of dark money-funded partisan and foreign-tied organizations” more interested in control than clean air.
For states like California, New York, and New Jersey, this means their Net Zero pursuits may be unwittingly advancing a partisan agenda, sidelining nuclear and fossil fuels that could ensure affordable, reliable power.
America’s path to energy dominance demands transparency. Until the veil on dark money is lifted, these influences will continue to distort the debate, leaving consumers—and the economy—to pay the price.
One thing to note is how much is coming to light now that USAID has been shut down. How much did that funnel money to news outlets to promote green energy agendas?
We covered some of this in the article:Senator Kennedy sheds insights to the $93 Billion DOE waste scandal
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