A look at false claims made by the Trump administration as it revokes a key scientific finding

President Donald Trump on Thursday revoked the 2009 endangerment finding, which has long been the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change.

But in making the announcement, Trump and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin made false claims regarding the government declaration, climate change, and energy.

Here's a closer look at the facts.

TRUMP: “Known as the endangerment finding, this determination had no basis in fact, had none whatsoever, and it had no basis in law.”

THE FACTS: This is false. The endangerment finding was adopted in 2009 by the EPA after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2007 that greenhouse gases are air pollutants that can be regulated under the Clean Air Act.

“The idea that the endangerment finding has no basis in law is ludicrous,” said Ann Carlson, a professor of environmental law at the University of California, Los Angeles. “The Supreme Court in Massachusetts v. EPA specifically directed the Environmental Protection Agency to determine whether greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare. The endangerment finding is the result.”

Scientific evidence to support the endangerment finding was provided by the EPA at the time of its inception and is still available on the agency's website today.

TRUMP: “We've basically stopped all windmills in this country. It's the most expensive energy you can get.”

THE FACTS: Onshore wind is one of the cheapest sources of electricity generation, with new wind farms expected to produce around $30 per megawatt hour, according to July estimates from the Energy Information Administration.

This compares to a new natural gas plant, around $65 per megawatt hour, or a new advanced nuclear reactor, which runs over $80. Offshore wind is among the sources of new power generation that will cost the most to build and operate, at $88 per megawatt hour, the EIA said in July.

THE FACTS: Thousands of peer-reviewed scientific studies connect health harms to climate change. They find increasing deaths from heat waves, extreme weather such as hurricanes and floods and air pollution from worsening wildfires. A 2021 study in Nature Climate Change calculated that globally about 9,700 people die a year from heat-related deaths attributable to human-caused climate change, based on data from 732 cities, including more than 200 in the United States.

A separate study last year listed dozens of climate change health harms and concluded, using the EPA’s own calculation method, that the health costs are at least $10 billion a year, probably much more.

The science of climate change dates back nearly 170 years to studies done by American Eunice Foote showing that carbon dioxide heated cylinders with thermometers inside more than ambient air. The first national climate assessment, done in 2000, before Obama and Biden, “concluded that climate variability and change are likely to increase morbidity and mortality risks.”

ZELDIN: “The Obama and Biden administrations used the endangerment finding to steamroll into existence a left-wing wish, including electric vehicle mandates.”

THE FACTS: Trump has made this claim before. There was no federal mandate to force the purchase of EVs.

“If you looked at some of the tables that were in the Biden rules, you could see that there were a variety of different ways that companies could comply with the standards,” said Carrie Jenks, the executive director of Harvard Law School's environmental and energy law program. “The endangerment finding nor the regulations mandated a shift from one type of vehicle to another.”

Former President Joe Biden did set up a non-binding goal that EVs make up half of new cars sold by 2030. Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office revoking that goal.

Associated Press writers Seth Borenstein and Matthew Daly in Washington contributed to this report.

Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck.

President Donald Trump holds up an executive order he just signed during an event on coal power in the East Room at the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Washington. Looking on at right is EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, House Speaker Mike Johnson, center, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum at left. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

FILE - President Donald Trump holds an executive order regarding coal during an event in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Washington, as Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., Environmental Protection Agency director Lee Zeldin and coal miners watch. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, file)

President Donald Trump speaks during an event with Environmental Protection Agency director Lee Zeldin announcing that the EPA will no longer regulate greenhouse gases, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump speaks during an event with Environmental Protection Agency director Lee Zeldin announcing that the EPA will no longer regulate greenhouse gases, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump speaks during an event with Environmental Protection Agency director Lee Zeldin announcing that the EPA will no longer regulate greenhouse gases, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump listens to a question from a reporter during an event with Environmental Protection Agency director Lee Zeldin to announce the EPA will no longer regulate greenhouse gases, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WESTBROOK, Maine--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 19, 2026--

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDXX), a global leader in pet healthcare innovation, today announced that SDMA, a renal biomarker, will be built into Catalyst™ CLIPs, making complete kidney function evaluation part of the most common point-of-care chemistry profiles. Available beginning in June to customers in the United States and Canada, the integration expands access to advanced kidney assessment at scale, enabling veterinarians to identify kidney function loss earlier and act sooner, without disrupting familiar workflows.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260519642899/en/

Supported by peer-reviewed studies using the IDEXX SDMA™ Test, SDMA is recognized by the International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) as a key biomarker for evaluating kidney function in pets. 1 Since introducing the IDEXX SDMA™ Test in 2015, IDEXX has performed approximately 119 million SDMA patient tests globally primarily through its reference laboratories and increasingly on the Catalyst platform, 2 underscoring the test’s clinical importance and broad adoption in kidney health evaluation. Results are seamlessly integrated into VetConnect™ PLUS, alongside other diagnostic data.

“SDMA is a clear example of how IDEXX innovates by developing clinically relevant diagnostics and then scaling their impact through platforms veterinarians already use every day,” said Mike Erickson, President and CEO of IDEXX. “Earlier insight enables earlier action, improving outcomes for pets, strengthening care experiences, and supporting durable, long-term growth for veterinary practices and IDEXX.”

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common in dogs and cats and frequently unrecognized, particularly early in the disease. Clinical evidence continues to show that including SDMA in routine diagnostic testing enables earlier detection of meaningful declines in kidney function that conventional markers alone may miss. 3–6 In addition, a study, published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, found that cats with early-stage CKD treated with a renal diet experienced slower disease progression and improved survival. 7

“Kidney disease is common in both cats and dogs, so early evaluation is important,” said Dr. Christine Kirnos, VMD, The Cat Hospital of Media.* “Making SDMA easier to incorporate into routine in-clinic chemistry testing helps us assess kidney health more consistently and provides meaningful insight during the patient visit.”

For more information, please visit the Catalyst testing web page.

*Dr. Kirnos has received compensation for consulting services she has provided to IDEXX.

References

About IDEXX

IDEXX is a global leader in pet healthcare innovation. Our diagnostic and software products and services create clarity in the complex, constantly evolving world of veterinary medicine. We support longer, fuller lives for pets by delivering insights and solutions that help the veterinary community around the world make confident decisions—to advance medical care, improve efficiency, and build thriving practices. Our innovations also help ensure the safety of milk and water across the world and maintain the health and well-being of people and livestock. IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. is a member of the S&P 500™ Index. Headquartered in Maine, IDEXX employs approximately 11,000 people and offers solutions and products to customers in more than 175 countries and territories. For more information about IDEXX, visit: www.idexx.com.

Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains or may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “expects,” “may,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “would,” “will,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “should,” “project,” and similar words and expressions. These forward-looking statements are intended to provide our current expectations or forecasts of future events; are based on current estimates, projections, beliefs, and assumptions; and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual events or results may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other important factors. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements because actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied. The reports filed by IDEXX pursuant to United States securities laws contain discussions of some of these risks and uncertainties. IDEXX assumes no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Readers are advised to review IDEXX’s filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (which are available from the SEC’s EDGAR database at sec.gov and via IDEXX’s website at idexx.com).

Catalyst SDMA Testing