In a pointed rejection of what they call a "global green scam," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz and President Donald Trump have firmly stated that the United States will not support the global carbon tax currently under consideration by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
The proposed levy, which aims to slash carbon emissions from the global shipping industry, has sparked swift and unequivocal opposition from key figures within the Trump administration.
Appearing on Fox & Friends, Waltz emphasized both the economic and geopolitical implications of the proposal. “This is a bigger deal than I think anybody realizes,” Waltz warned host Brian Kilmeade. As a former Florida congressman and Green Beret, Waltz carries the credibility of both public service and military experience—and he used that authority to frame the carbon tax as not just environmental policy, but a looming threat to global trade and American sovereignty.
As @POTUS and @SecRubio have made clear, the United States is a hard NO on @IMOHQ’s global carbon tax scheme that harms the American consumer. We’re calling on other nations to vote with us or face serious consequences. pic.twitter.com/uKX9dVeSK8
— Ambassador Mike Waltz (@USAmbUN) October 16, 2025
“This would essentially put a global tax on everything that is involved in trade and then everything that goes on a ship,” Waltz explained, highlighting how the proposal could drive up shipping costs across the board. “The United States is a hard no,” he declared, adding that the administration was actively urging allies to reject the measure as well.
But the controversy doesn’t stop at taxes. According to Waltz, the initiative has another layer: the subsidization of specific biofuels. That shift, he argues, could funnel business directly to Chinese shipyards—since they currently hold a dominant position in retrofitting and constructing vessels compatible with the new environmental standards. The implication is stark: the West imposes the cost, while China reaps the reward.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 16, 2025
President Trump echoed the message with characteristic clarity on Truth Social. “We will NOT stand for this Global Green New Scam Tax on Shipping,” he posted. “We will not tolerate increased prices on American Consumers OR the creation of a Green New Scam Bureaucracy to spend YOUR money on their Green dreams.”
The message from Trump and Waltz is not merely symbolic. Behind the scenes, the United States is reportedly applying diplomatic pressure to dissuade other IMO members from supporting the carbon tax. Officials such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have reportedly aligned behind the stance, forming a united front against what they view as an international overreach under the guise of climate action.
