A southern Indiana coal truck driver was recognized at the White House as President Donald Trump signed an executive order focused on supporting the coal industry.

Kayla Blackford of Dugger attended the signing ceremony and spoke during the event. Blackford works at the Bear Run Mine, where she drives and trains others to operate a haul truck.

“Thank you, Mr. President. As he said, my name is Kayla Blackford and I am so proud and honored to be here today representing Peabody and coal miners across this country. My husband and I both work at Bear Run Mine in Southern Indiana. I drive a haul truck and I train others on this large piece of equipment,” Blackford said.

Trump’s executive order directs the Department of Defense to enter agreements to purchase electricity from coal-fired power plants for military operations. The president said the action is intended to strengthen the reliability of the nation’s power grid.

Blackford also addressed the broader role she believes coal plays in meeting the country’s energy needs.

“My job supports my family, it supports our community, and it keeps the lights on and electricity affordable, not just in Indiana, but across the country. As demand increases and our lives become increasingly electrified, America needs to generate more electricity, not less,” she said.

As part of the order, Trump directed the Department of Energy to distribute 175 million dollars to fund upgrades at six coal plants in Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.

The action follows a separate executive order signed in April 2025 calling for expanded coal mining and use nationwide, including additional federal coal leases and research into whether coal could supply power for artificial intelligence data centers.