Trump calls NYC’s crackdown on wood- and coal-fired pizza ovens “crazy.”

Trump Reacts to Proposed Emission-Cutting Rules for NYC Pizzerias

Former president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump had some strong words about the proposed emission-cutting rules targeting New York City’s beloved pizzerias. In an interview on 77 WABC, Trump expressed his disbelief and frustration, saying, “Even now, they want to take away the pizza ovens. We have the greatest pizza parlors in the world. They want to stop that in New York.”

Trump went on to criticize the city officials who are pushing for these rules, stating, “New York has enough problems. But they now, actually, they’re coming after the pizza parlors. Can you believe it? And [city officials are] saying make it differently and we’re gonna give you different ovens. We’re gonna put all sorts of restrictions. And one of the guys said you can’t make pizza that way. So it’s crazy what’s going on, but it is what it is. We’re gonna straighten it out.”

New Rule Aims to Reduce Carbon Emissions

Last month, New York City drafted a rule requiring pizza operators with coal- and wood-fired ovens to reduce carbon emissions by up to 75 percent. Eateries with these types of stoves installed prior to May 2016 would have to have emission control devices under the new regulation from the city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

City officials confirmed the proposed rules, stating that emissions from these types of ovens pollute the air. DEP’s spokesperson Ted Timbers explained, “All New Yorkers deserve to breathe healthy air, and wood and coal-fired stoves are among the largest contributors of harmful pollutants in neighborhoods with poor air quality. This common-sense rule, developed with restaurant and environmental justice groups, requires a professional review of whether installing emission controls is feasible.”

The proposed rules come after New York became the first state in the United States to ban natural gas stoves in May. The rules apply to most new buildings starting in 2026, with the only exemptions being hospitals and manufacturing facilities.

The DEP’s new regulation (pdf) will require restaurants having such ovens to hire a government-approved architect or engineer “to assess the feasibility of installing emission controls on the cook stove to achieve a 75% reduction in particulate emissions.”

If the assessment determines that a reduction of 75 percent or above cannot be achieved or that emission control devices cannot be installed, “the assessment must identify any emission controls that could provide a reduction of at least 25% or an explanation for why no emission controls can be installed.”

The proposed rule by NYC officials has already drawn criticism. Some questioned how regulating less than 100 restaurants would significantly reduce carbon emissions. Billionaire Elon Musk tweeted, “This is utter bs. It won’t make a difference to climate change.” Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also voiced his concerns, stating, “They just want to control… They just don’t want people to be happy and make their own decisions.”

‘Destroying Every Small Business’

The rule sparked a protest at New York City Hall, with artist and activist Scott LoBaido throwing pizza slices over the gate. He exclaimed, “Give us pizza or give us death! Destroying every small business, that’s what this city keeps doing. Can’t have a small business? Can’t have pizza? New York City is nothing without pizza.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams defended the proposal, stating, “We don’t want to hurt businesses in the city, and we don’t want to hurt the environment. Every toxic entity that we remove from our air is adding up to the overall desire to deal with.”