Attorney General James Uthmeier urges President Trump to take action against European Union corporate sustainability directive

Tallahassee, Florida – In a decisive move that could shape U.S. corporate policy on the global stage, Attorney General James Uthmeier, together with West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey, led a coalition of state attorneys general in urging President Donald J. Trump to actively oppose the European Union’s latest corporate sustainability initiative. The initiative, known as the Corporate Sustainability Directive, would impose far-reaching Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) requirements on American companies operating both domestically and abroad.

In a letter addressed to the President, Attorney General Uthmeier highlighted what he described as a growing threat from Brussels’ regulatory overreach. “President Trump has shown tremendous leadership protecting American jobs and pushing back against foreign overreach,” Uthmeier said. “These EU requirements are nothing more than a backdoor attempt to force the radical green agenda on American companies. Without intervention, this will divert resources away from investment, job creation, and wage growth, while putting bureaucrats in Brussels in charge of U.S. business decisions.”

The letter comes amid mounting concern among U.S. policymakers and business leaders over what critics say is a European attempt to export its climate and social policies through regulatory channels. Uthmeier and his colleagues praised the Trump administration’s domestic efforts in revitalizing American industry, restoring law and order, and rolling back ESG and DEI mandates, while warning that foreign regulators now seek to impose similar standards abroad, creating a potential minefield of legal and operational risks for U.S. corporations.

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At the heart of the EU’s directive are two major provisions that have raised alarms among U.S. state leaders. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) would require companies to provide highly detailed disclosures throughout their global supply chains. Such reporting obligations, according to the coalition of attorneys general, could saddle American businesses with enormous compliance costs and open the door to litigation in U.S. courts.

The second provision, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), seeks to embed ESG and DEI principles into corporate operations worldwide. Enforcement under this directive carries stringent penalties and enables private rights of action, which could leave U.S. firms vulnerable to legal challenges from both European regulators and domestic activist groups.

Attorneys general emphasized that these measures could undermine American sovereignty by allowing European regulators to influence domestic economic policy, while also threatening jobs and investments, particularly in traditional energy sectors such as fossil fuels. The coalition warned that companies could face costly “greenwashing” lawsuits and other litigation risks, potentially diverting capital away from growth and innovation.

In the letter, Uthmeier urged President Trump to act swiftly by directing the U.S. Trade Representative to formally oppose the EU directive during ongoing negotiations. The goal, the attorneys general argued, is to ensure that American companies remain free from foreign mandates that could compromise their competitiveness, reduce investment, and stifle wage growth.

“This is not just a matter of corporate compliance,” the letter stated. “It is a matter of protecting the economic future of our country and ensuring that American businesses retain the freedom to operate without undue interference from foreign governments.”

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As discussions around ESG and DEI regulations continue to gain momentum globally, the letter from Uthmeier and his colleagues highlights the growing tension between U.S. economic interests and international sustainability frameworks. With President Trump’s administration positioned as a counterweight to these foreign pressures, the outcome could have lasting implications for the regulatory environment faced by American corporations in the coming years.

The coalition of state attorneys general stressed that swift and decisive action is needed to prevent European mandates from reshaping U.S. corporate policy, signaling a continued commitment to protecting domestic industry and preserving regulatory autonomy.