Backlash or reinforcement? Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration and shifting climate beliefs in the United States
Abstract Efforts to counter climate change skepticism have become a key sociopolitical issue. Researchers increasingly recognize the role of “elite cues” from political leaders in shaping climate attitudes; yet quantitative analysis of specific recent events, such as President Trump’s 2017 inaugurat...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | npj Climate Action |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44168-025-00230-9 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850095593976758272 |
|---|---|
| author | Yidan Sun Ke Shen Mayank Kejriwal |
| author_facet | Yidan Sun Ke Shen Mayank Kejriwal |
| author_sort | Yidan Sun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Efforts to counter climate change skepticism have become a key sociopolitical issue. Researchers increasingly recognize the role of “elite cues” from political leaders in shaping climate attitudes; yet quantitative analysis of specific recent events, such as President Trump’s 2017 inauguration, remains limited. Through two research objectives, this study examines whether Trump’s first inauguration modified the association between political identity (Democrat, Republican, and Independent) and overall climate change beliefs among Americans, and whether it influenced support or opposition for specific environmental policies, such as fracking and nuclear energy. Multinomial regression models, controlled for socio-demographic variables, reveal significant changes in association, as well as a potential “backlash effect”: the administration’s anti-climate stance appeared to strengthen pro-climate beliefs among Democrats and Independents, while Republicans’ beliefs remained largely unchanged. The study’s findings invite a more complex interpretation, compared to earlier literature, of the impacts of political cues on climate skepticism today. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dd30178f005a4d148da710f5004cd734 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2731-9814 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Climate Action |
| spelling | doaj-art-dd30178f005a4d148da710f5004cd7342025-08-20T02:41:24ZengNature Portfolionpj Climate Action2731-98142025-03-014111010.1038/s44168-025-00230-9Backlash or reinforcement? Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration and shifting climate beliefs in the United StatesYidan Sun0Ke Shen1Mayank Kejriwal2University of Southern California, Information Sciences InstituteUniversity of Southern California, Information Sciences InstituteUniversity of Southern California, Information Sciences InstituteAbstract Efforts to counter climate change skepticism have become a key sociopolitical issue. Researchers increasingly recognize the role of “elite cues” from political leaders in shaping climate attitudes; yet quantitative analysis of specific recent events, such as President Trump’s 2017 inauguration, remains limited. Through two research objectives, this study examines whether Trump’s first inauguration modified the association between political identity (Democrat, Republican, and Independent) and overall climate change beliefs among Americans, and whether it influenced support or opposition for specific environmental policies, such as fracking and nuclear energy. Multinomial regression models, controlled for socio-demographic variables, reveal significant changes in association, as well as a potential “backlash effect”: the administration’s anti-climate stance appeared to strengthen pro-climate beliefs among Democrats and Independents, while Republicans’ beliefs remained largely unchanged. The study’s findings invite a more complex interpretation, compared to earlier literature, of the impacts of political cues on climate skepticism today.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44168-025-00230-9 |
| spellingShingle | Yidan Sun Ke Shen Mayank Kejriwal Backlash or reinforcement? Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration and shifting climate beliefs in the United States npj Climate Action |
| title | Backlash or reinforcement? Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration and shifting climate beliefs in the United States |
| title_full | Backlash or reinforcement? Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration and shifting climate beliefs in the United States |
| title_fullStr | Backlash or reinforcement? Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration and shifting climate beliefs in the United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | Backlash or reinforcement? Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration and shifting climate beliefs in the United States |
| title_short | Backlash or reinforcement? Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration and shifting climate beliefs in the United States |
| title_sort | backlash or reinforcement donald trump s 2017 inauguration and shifting climate beliefs in the united states |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44168-025-00230-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yidansun backlashorreinforcementdonaldtrumps2017inaugurationandshiftingclimatebeliefsintheunitedstates AT keshen backlashorreinforcementdonaldtrumps2017inaugurationandshiftingclimatebeliefsintheunitedstates AT mayankkejriwal backlashorreinforcementdonaldtrumps2017inaugurationandshiftingclimatebeliefsintheunitedstates |