Mark Cuban is calling out the federal government for abandoning coal communities, warning of an impending “Red Rural Recession” as the latest wave of federal job cuts and safety rollbacks sweep through working-class strongholds in Appalachia and beyond.
“USA to coal miners – Drop Dead. Literally. And take your towns with you,” Cuban posted bluntly to his Bluesky social account on Sunday, echoing growing outrage over the shuttering of mine safety offices and the fallout from the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) budget-slashing campaign under President Donald Trump’s second term.
While much of the public debate around the DOGE cuts has centered on economic concerns, a deeper crisis is taking root in America’s mining regions — where decades-old safety protections are being dismantled just as mine-related injuries and illnesses are rising.
This isn’t the first time rural America has been the center of political debate, either. Notably, President Joe Biden’s administration came under scrutiny for its response to Hurricane Helene, which wreaked havoc across rural North Carolina. Many were not fond of the Biden administration’s response to this natural disaster, and others, amid heavy spending on Ukraine.
These so-called “rural” states are increasingly becoming battleground states ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.. Trump won North Carolina in 2020 by only 1.3%, and turned Georgia red in 2024 after losing the state in 2020.
A Reckoning in the Mines
At the heart of the turmoil is the Mount Pleasant Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) office near Pittsburgh, the most active mine safety center in the nation. For years, it served as the frontline defense against unsafe practices in deep-shaft coal operations throughout Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Now, it’s on the chopping block.
The Mount Pleasant office is one of 34 safety centers nationwide that are being shut down as part of the Trump administration’s push for leaner federal operations. While DOGE has promoted these moves as cost-saving measures, the impact on coal country could prove disastrous.
In just the last four years, multiple fatalities have occurred in mines previously under the jurisdiction of Mount Pleasant inspectors — often with the same causes: collapsed walls, aging infrastructure, and ignored safety protocols. Currently, Mount Pleasant inspects about 15% of all coal mine incidents resulting in death.
Yet, instead of bolstering enforcement, DOGE is pulling inspectors out and closing offices — decisions that, critics argue, leave miners and their families dangerously exposed.
It could be argued that the closures could ultimately spur reform or innovation in mine safety oversight. Despite the presence of federal regulators, injuries and fatalities in many coal mines have continued to climb in recent years, suggesting that the existing system may not be effectively preventing harm. At the Buchanan Mine in Virginia, there’s been a 900% increase in workplace injuries over the past decade. West Virginia’s Marshall County Mine saw a 50% rise over the past 10 years.
Read Next:
An Economic and Human Crisis
Cuban, who has become increasingly vocal about federal overreach and rural neglect, has warned that these cuts won’t just lead to job losses — they will hollow out entire towns.
“All the firings, cancelling of grants and contracts with companies, the closing of offices — disproportionately impact small towns, cities and states,” he wrote last week. “Their finances will be turned upside down.”
Coal country is already grappling with the long-term health effects of decades of underground labor. Black lung disease, and particularly an aggressive strain caused by silica dust, is surging in Appalachian states. The new administration’s legal fight to delay or roll back stricter silica exposure standards has drawn ire from miners and medical professionals alike.
The Post Gazette reported clinics across West Virginia and Kentucky are struggling to keep up with the influx of patients — some of them not even 50 years old — who now require oxygen tanks, daily inhalers, and intensive care just to function. These clinics, partially funded by federal grants, are also on shaky ground. Some have already been warned that their funding could dry up by summer.
On the date of publication, Caleb Naysmith did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
