A group of 22 young Americans sued the Trump administration over executive orders the plaintiffs say will promote climate change.
The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Montana and challenges executive orders 14156, 14154 and 14261, which declare a “National Energy Emergency.” The Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and NASA are named as defendants in the suit.
“[President] Trump’s fossil fuel orders are a death sentence for my generation,” plaintiff Eva Lighthiser said.
“I’m not suing because I want to — I’m suing because I have to. My health, my future, and my right to speak the truth are all on the line. He’s waging war on us with fossil fuels as his weapon, and we’re fighting back with the Constitution,” she added.
Lighthiser is joined by youth plaintiffs from Montana, along with others from Hawaii, Oregon, California and Florida.
They’ve alleged that the president’s executive orders violate their Fifth Amendment rights to life and liberty by “deliberately worsening” climate pollution that threatens their health and futures.
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has issued orders aimed at expediting energy and infrastructure projects; promoting the use of coal, critical minerals and fossil fuels; and sunsetting EPA regulations that prevent mining and offshore drilling.
The White House and corresponding agencies did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment on the matter.
“Our children enjoy the same constitutional rights to life and liberty as adults, yet have been tasked with shouldering the impact of a destabilized climate system without ever having a say in the matter,” Dan Snyder, director of the Environmental Enforcement Project for Public Justice, said in a Thursday statement.
“President Trump’s executive orders are unlawful and intolerable, and these youth plaintiffs shall put an end to it.”
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
