Trump can ' t conjure up oil and coal jobs , no more so than Obama could steal them . The market decides if those jobs are needed . The market for oil is down and is largely being steered by lowered demand and the fact that Saudi Arabia is able to pump cheap oil and still make a profit at cost points where we can ' t . The market shut down the oil fields , not Obama . If you ' re in Pennsylvania and West Virginia and you ' re waiting for your coal jobs to come back , don ' t hold your breath . Energy producers initially shifted away from coal because of EPA rules , going to cheap natural gas , wind and solar . The energy market is now much more stable because it isn ' t swaying in the political winds due to carbon rules . Even if Trump could subsidize coal , I don ' t think many producers would want to get back on that rollercoaster again . As much as people don ' t want to hear it , times are changing . If you want to be a wagon wheel repairman , good luck making a living .