President Donald Trump completely misunderstood what global warming means in a wild social media post.
The United States is facing a potentially historically cold period, with the eastern two-thirds of the country expected to experience subfreezing temperatures and heavy snowfall that could cause significant damage. To the president, this is enough proof that “global warming” is a hoax.
“Record cold wave is expected to hit 40 states,” he said on Truth Social. “Few things like this have been seen before. Can the environmental insurgents explain – what the hell is happening with global warming???”
Trump often talks about his appreciation for fossil fuels. / Dominic Reuters / AFP / Getty Images
It’s not entirely clear who he means by “environmental rebels.”
The most powerful man in the world has repeatedly stated that he is concerned about the existence of climate change, supporting fossil fuel policies and peddling conspiracy theories despite overwhelming scientific evidence that climate change poses a real and imminent threat.
truth society
The public has long known that the now-downgraded term “global warming” does not mean that there will be no cold temperatures, but that average temperatures within the Earth’s atmosphere will be higher, upsetting the delicate environmental balance.
The term is now considered only part of the broader phenomenon of climate change.
Trump’s environmental policies have long been viewed by activists as a disaster. /Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Climate Power 2
The cold land and warm waters of the Arctic are stretching the polar vortex, dragging cold air further south. When cold air meets warm, moist southern air, it could result in heavy snow, PBS reports.
The American Red Cross says on its website that “winters are getting warmer and shorter due to the climate crisis. However, because the warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, heavier snowfalls are more likely,” The Guardian reports.
According to the BBC, “cities such as Memphis, Nashville, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York” could be covered in snow.
The president campaigned on a promise to put non-renewable energy back on the agenda. / Image Alliance/ Image Alliance from Getty Image
The National Weather Service said the weather could “pose a life-threatening risk of hypothermia and frostbite to exposed skin.”
The storm is expected to reach as far west as New Mexico, exposing about 230 million people to temperatures in the 20s as governors declare a national emergency.
Trump’s disregard for the environment is well-documented. On his first day back in the Oval Office last year, he issued an executive order called “Man Over Fish,” in which he deemed the endangered Delta smelt an “essentially worthless fish” and required water to be taken from its habitat to fight fires hundreds of miles away.
He has also waged a long-running war against wind turbines, claiming they drive whales crazy and kill vultures, a point he posted on social media with a photo of a dead falcon in Israel.
In September, he gave a speech at the United Nations, saying climate change was “the biggest hoax the world has ever seen.”
In the same speech, he said, “I have a standing order from the White House,” he said. “Never use the word ‘coal.’ Only use the word ‘clean, beautiful coal.’ Sounds a lot better, doesn’t it?”
