California’s plan to ban the sale of new internal combustion engine vehicles and promote electric vehicle (EV) sales by 2035 is likely to be nullified.
According to Reuters on June 10, President Donald Trump plans to invalidate California’s environmentally driven EV regulations.

A House official stated that Trump will sign a congressional resolution to repeal California’s regulation mandating that only EVs be sold as new vehicles starting in 2035.
Additionally, Trump is set to sign resolutions to abolish California’s plan to increase mandatory EV sales to up to 80% by 2035, as well as its eco-friendly truck sales initiative.
California, a Democratic stronghold, introduced environmental regulations far stricter than federal standards during the Biden administration, with approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

As the largest auto market in the U.S., California’s policies significantly influenced the broader market. Eleven other states adopted California’s regulations, mandating EV sales by 2035.
The resolution Trump is expected to sign was sent to the White House under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), which ensures Congress’s authority to veto regulations created by the administration or federal agencies. A resolution to repeal a regulation takes effect if it passes both the House and Senate and is signed by the president.
Since California’s EV regulations were implemented with EPA approval, they are subject to the CRA.

However, California Governor Gavin Newsom called Trump’s resolution signing illegal and vowed legal action. Newsom, seen as a potential Democratic leader, has been in sharp conflict with Trump, notably filing for an injunction after Trump deployed the National Guard and Marines in response to large-scale protests against immigration enforcement and deportations.

Meanwhile, the auto industry, which opposed California’s stricter regulations, strongly supports Trump’s resolution. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI), representing companies like GM, Toyota, Hyundai, and Stellantis, stated, “In reality, California’s EV sales mandate was an unattainable goal.”

Major U.S. automakers had strongly opposed California’s EV sales mandate since its introduction in 2020. However, when the Biden administration prioritized climate change, they shifted toward mass EV production. The White House plans to invite key auto industry figures to the resolution signing ceremony.