A former Trump aide’s sudden social media push for solar energy raises serious questions about whether the renewable industry is paying conservative influencers to undermine President Trump’s energy agenda.
Story Snapshot
- Katie Miller, wife of White House deputy chief Stephen Miller, launched aggressive solar promotion in February 2026 despite Trump’s renewable skepticism
- Miller denies paid partnerships with solar groups, but leaked American Clean Power Association memo reveals coordinated influencer campaign targeting MAGA audiences
- The solar industry pivot comes as Trump administration blocked major projects and canceled $7 billion in renewable grants
- Polls commissioned by solar companies show 51-75% Trump voter support, fueling speculation about manufactured grassroots movement
Former Trump Aide’s Suspicious Solar Advocacy
Katie Miller began posting enthusiastically about solar energy on X in early February 2026, declaring “Solar energy is the energy of the future” and urging expansion to compete with China. Miller, who served as an aide in Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency and is married to senior Trump advisor Stephen Miller, posted at least six solar endorsements throughout February. Her sudden advocacy appears coordinated with industry campaigns, sharing polls from First Solar and newly-formed group American Energy First. Miller insists she has no paid partnerships, yet the timing and messaging align suspiciously with documented industry efforts.
Solar Industry’s Coordinated Influencer Strategy Exposed
A February 2026 memo from the American Clean Power Association revealed an “American Energy First” campaign specifically targeting conservative influencers including Miller and former Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway. The Solar Energy Industries Association has a documented history of paying conservative voices to promote renewables. American Energy First emerged in January 2026, commissioning polls showing Trump voter support ranging from 51% to 75% for domestic solar manufacturing. The group’s X account has minimal followers, raising red flags about astroturfing. Neither ACP, American Energy First, nor Musk’s companies commented on funding arrangements despite repeated inquiries from multiple outlets.
Trump Administration Renewable Blocks Trigger Industry Panic
The solar industry’s desperate outreach to MAGA influencers follows significant 2025 Trump administration actions against renewables. The Interior Department canceled the massive Esmerelda 7 project exceeding 6 gigawatts capacity and slowed federal permitting processes. The Energy Department eliminated $7 billion in Solar for All grants and canceled Puerto Rico solar and storage projects for hospitals. These policy reversals align with President Trump’s longstanding skepticism toward renewable subsidies and preference for traditional energy independence. The industry now faces losing the tax credits and regulatory favoritism enjoyed under Biden’s reckless spending agenda that fueled inflation.
Elon Musk Connection and Tesla Solar Ambitions
Miller’s ties to Elon Musk add complexity to the solar promotion saga. Musk shared Miller’s posts on X, including the American Energy First poll on February 21, 2026. Tesla recently launched new solar panels and announced plans for 100 gigawatt annual production capacity, a dramatic revival after years of decline following the 2016 SolarCity merger. Musk’s xAI subsidiary is building solar infrastructure for its Memphis data center, though facing controversy over gas turbine pollution. The tech billionaire frames solar as enabling “amazing abundance” for artificial intelligence and data centers, appealing to conservatives focused on American competitiveness and innovation rather than climate ideology.
Polls Manufactured to Show Conservative Solar Support
GOP pollsters Tony Fabrizio and Kellyanne Conway commissioned surveys showing 62% to 75% Trump voter support for American-made solar panels, particularly when framed around competing with China and reducing dependence on foreign manufacturing. These polls carefully avoid environmentalist messaging, instead emphasizing national security, lower utility bills, and immediate energy availability compared to delayed nuclear projects. Conservative energy advocate Heather Reams of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions argues solar is “ready to go right now” for bill relief. However, the suspicious coordination between industry-funded polls, newly-formed advocacy groups with no grassroots presence, and sudden influencer enthusiasm suggests manufactured consensus rather than organic conservative sentiment.
The solar industry’s influencer campaign exploits legitimate conservative concerns about China and energy costs while potentially deceiving Trump supporters about industry motives. With Interior reviewing 20 stalled solar projects and Trump facing pressure on rising utility bills, Americans deserve transparency about who funds these advocacy efforts. If renewable lobbyists are secretly paying conservative voices to contradict the President’s energy agenda, that constitutes a betrayal of voter trust and undermines the administration’s sovereignty over energy policy. The conservative movement must remain vigilant against corporate interests hijacking our messaging, whether from woke corporations or supposedly “based” renewable profiteers.
Sources:
Solar power’s newest friends: MAGA influencers – Politico
Is someone paying Katie Miller to push solar? – Latitude Media
Solar gets some MAGA shine – Politico Power Switch
Don’t Call It a Realignment – Reason
