As President Donald Trump spoke during a recent town hall event in Iowa, he blasted John Kerry’s climate activism as a “total disaster” for the United States.
The former Secretary of State under President Obama, Kerry, has been actively involved in promoting action against climate change in the last several years. Despite this, Trump publicly denounced Kerry’s attempts to help slow climate change, accusing him of “destroying our country” and labeling climate activism as an “unbelievable attack” on the US.
The president made the comments during a discussion on the nation’s energy policy. During the town hall, Trump decried the Paris Climate Agreement, which the US withdrew from in 2020, and hinted of plans to modify the Renewable Fuel Standard, an ethanol and biofuel mandate.
Trump repeatedly used the phrase “destroy our country” to describe the effects of Kerry’s activism on the economy and the nation in general. He argued that “irt will cripple us economically,” and contended that the environment would likely be worse off due to the Paris agreement.
The controversial comments from the President have raised a few eyebrows in the climate change community as well as among progressive politicians. The latter accused Trump of being in the pocket of the fossil fuel industry and against any measures that could help reduce global warming. Others condemned Trump for suggesting environmental activists like John Kerry are the cause of the US’s current economic woes.
However, Trump’s remarks could play well with his base, who could see it as taking a stand against what they perceive to be overreach from special interests in Washington.
Trump’s comments may be seen as part of a larger trend among political leaders in the US. As the green economy gains more traction and attention, many in power are looking to shift the focus away from policies that address climate change in favor of more immediate economic concerns. Trump’s words signified a refusal to consider the long-term effects of current policies and could be seen as a sign of growing tension between economic pragmatism and the rising environmental movement.
At this point in time, it remains to be seen exactly what policy changes the Trump administration will opt for when it comes to climate change. However, despite the criticisms, it is clear that at the very least, Trump is making a concerted effort to oppose what he perceives as John Kerry’s attempts to “destroy our country.”