President Trump on Thursday revoked California’s special waiver under the Clean Air Act, effectively dismantling the state’s ability to mandate stricter emission standards for passenger cars and heavy trucks, widely referred to as California’s EV mandate.

The president signed three Congressional Review Act resolutions passed last month. The resolutions target specific California regulations, including the Advanced Clean Cars II program and heavy-duty engine standards, which imposed penalties and incentives to push consumers toward electric and zero-emission vehicles.

Just before he signed the resolutions – noting, “no autopens allowed” – Mr. Trump said, “In a few moments, I will sign three pieces of legislation that will kill, totally kill — they can’t take us to court. They can’t do any of the things they can do with the executive orders…. And they’re never coming back.”

The resolutions will result in “lower prices, better cars and more choice,” the president said.

California had set ambitious goals for electric vehicles adoption, aiming for 35 percent by 2026, 68 percent by 2030, and full adoption by 2035. However, adoption rates have been sluggish, with state reports predicting only 6 percent of light-duty vehicles on the road by the end of 2024 would meet the EV criteria.

The shortfall served as a key argument for opponents who claim the state’s mandates are unrealistic and burdensome.

Industries hit hard by the EV mandates praised Mr. Trump’s move. 

“Today, common sense prevailed,” said American Trucking Association President and CEO Chris Spear. “We thank President Trump, EPA Administrator [Lee] Zeldin, and congressional leadership for taking decisive action to end crippling, detached-from-reality rulemakings that would have imposed devastating economic consequences on American businesses and families.

“This is not the United States of California. With the stroke of his pen, President Trump is restoring the certainty that the trucking industry needs to deliver for our nation as we continue to reduce our environmental impact,” Mr. Spear said.

General Motors also praised the move. “We appreciate the actions taken by President Trump to sign [the resolutions] into law and help align emissions standards with today’s market realities. We have long advocated for one national standard that will allow us to stay competitive, continue to invest in U.S. innovation, and offer customer choice across the broadest lineup of gas-powered and electric vehicles,” the company said in a statement.

California’s attorney general, Rob Bonta, condemned the president’s move, pledging legal action against the Trump administration despite the president’s claims of immunity.

“California won’t let Washington roll back decades of progress. Our standards save lives and protect our planet,” Mr. Bonta said in a statement. He contends that using the CRA to revoke California’s EPA waiver, reinstated by the Biden administration in 2023, is legally untested and unprecedented.

Even if California’s legal battle proves successful, critics argue that market conditions already make the state’s 2035 goals unattainable. Supporters of the resolutions Mr. Trump signed frame this as a pragmatic correction, while environmental advocates view it as a blatant retreat from vital climate action.

At one point in the signing ceremony, Mr. Trump said he dislikes financial incentives for electric cars. “Now we know why Elon doesn’t like me so much,” he said of billionaire Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla. He quickly added, “He does, he does.”