One year after former President Donald Trump pledged on the campaign trail to halve American energy bills, a Guardian analysis reveals the promise has fallen dramatically short, leaving households across the nation struggling under the weight of soaring utility costs.
Households pushed to the brink
For Zattura Sims-El, a 76-year-old resident of Baltimore, Maryland, the relentless rise has become unbearable. Despite adopting extreme energy-saving habits—like unplugging every appliance not in constant use—her monthly gas and electricity bills consistently exceeded $500 last year, with one month hitting a staggering $975. "It's obscene," said Sims-El, who has lived in her home for 46 years. "How is anyone supposed to keep up with this?"
The data confirms her distress. According to the US Energy Information Administration, the average household paid nearly $116 more for electricity in 2025 than the year before, a sharp 6.7% increase. Gas prices also jumped by 5.2% on average.
The financial strain is forcing impossible choices. In Denton, Texas, Samantha Lott, who requires an anti-inflammatory diet for a medical condition, can no longer afford the necessary groceries. "I have to choose: do I go to the doctor this month... or do I pay for electricity?" she said, explaining that a $70 medical copay is now money needed for bills.
Policy drivers and a shifting blame game
Experts point to two significant policy-driven factors behind the price surge. First is the explosive growth of power-hungry artificial intelligence datacenters. In October 2025, the PJM grid operator, which serves 13 states and Washington DC, identified datacenters as the "primary reason" for increased power prices.
Facing public outrage, President Trump recently shifted tack, announcing he is pressing technology companies to cover the costs their datacenters impose on the grid. "The big Technology Companies who build them must 'pay their own way,'" he posted on Truth Social.
Secondly, the administration's aggressive promotion of fossil fuel exports has directly impacted domestic costs. A December 2025 report from Public Citizen found that efforts to boost liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports cost US households a combined $12bn in the first nine months of the year.
David Jones, a Trump voter from Baltimore's Curtis Bay neighbourhood, expressed disillusionment. "His 'drill, baby, drill' agenda does a disservice to Americans," he said, noting his own bills rose by at least $100 a month in 2025.
Safety net unravels as need skyrockets
Compounding the crisis, the Trump administration has simultaneously made it harder for struggling families to access aid. It eliminated tax credits for energy-efficiency upgrades and attempted to scrap the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps six million Americans annually.
Although LIHEAP survived, it was crippled by staff layoffs and processing delays, creating a massive backlog. "Detroit is not even taking aid applications right now because there's so much backlog," said Liz Jacob, an energy insecurity coordinator in Michigan.
Angie Shaneyfelt, 52, also of Curtis Bay, saw her bill leap from under $300 to $400 in a single month. After receiving a cutoff notice, her application for LIHEAP-funded aid was denied due to exhausted funds. "Finding aid that is available is a full-time job," she said. Now a widow and sole provider for twin daughters, she is considering a second job. "I've already slimmed back so much stuff. And now I have to give up my time with my family?"
The White House, in a statement, blamed Democratic states for "Green Energy Scam policies" and maintained that its "energy dominance agenda" would ultimately unleash economic growth. For households like those of Sims-El, Lott, and Shaneyfelt, however, the immediate reality is one of broken promises and escalating financial pain.
