During a contentious address at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, President Trump launched a scathing attack on climate change, labeling it “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world.” He dismissed the scientific consensus on global warming as the work of “stupid people” and criticized nations, even close allies, for embracing renewable energy.
An image of President Donald Trump speaking at the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday.
This extraordinary tirade disregarded the immense human suffering caused by escalating heat waves, devastating wildfires, and deadly floods—all exacerbated by fossil fuel combustion. His stance sharply contrasted with the accelerating global adoption of renewable energy solutions.
Trump strategically targeted immigrants and green energy, characterizing them as a “double-tailed monster” that, he asserted without evidence, is “destroying” Europe. While these themes resonate strongly with his Republican base, delivering such pronouncements to an international audience was particularly notable.
“To achieve greatness once more, strong borders and conventional energy sources are essential,” he declared. “I am concerned for Europe; I love the people of Europe. It pains me to see it ravaged by energy policies and immigration.”
These assaults on clean energy initiatives seem to be a deliberate White House strategy to undermine the European Union’s legally mandated greenhouse gas reduction targets and to fuel political opposition against Europe’s progress in renewable energy.
Independent energy analysts consistently report that wind and solar power are often the most cost-effective energy sources globally, with worldwide investments in renewables now surpassing those in coal, oil, and gas combined.
Gina McCarthy, who previously served as the Biden administration’s climate policy director, sharply criticized Trump, stating, “He continues to embarrass the U.S. globally and jeopardize American interests domestically. He is abandoning our government’s duty to safeguard citizens from the escalating frequency and intensity of climate change-related disasters ravaging our nation.”
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers defended the President’s remarks, asserting in a written statement, “Regardless of whether it’s called global cooling, global warming, or climate change, the radical climate agenda is consistently devastating many great nations worldwide.”
From his initial day in office, President Trump initiated the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, a voluntary accord among nearly 200 nations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions—making the U.S. the sole country to do so. His administration has also actively obstructed renewable energy projects, eliminated federal incentives for wind and solar power, and scrubbed climate-science data from government websites, in addition to commissioning reports that minimize the severity of climate change.
European policymakers view the expansion of clean energy as crucial for achieving energy security and reducing reliance on imported oil and gas. In contrast, Mr. Trump has pressured European nations to increase their purchases of U.S. fossil fuels. His administration secured a commitment from the European Union to acquire $250 billion in U.S. energy annually for the remainder of his term, in exchange for certain tariff concessions.
As the world’s top natural gas exporter and largest oil producer, the United States, under the Trump administration, actively promotes new fossil fuel development. Mr. Trump has further issued executive orders designed to expand the burning and mining of coal, widely recognized as the dirtiest fossil fuel.
An overwhelming scientific consensus confirms that burning coal, oil, and gas has significantly raised the average global temperature by more than 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels, intensifying deadly heatwaves, wildfires, and floods worldwide.
Characterizing global warming as “the greatest con job ever perpetrated,” he admonished world leaders for upholding international agreements to curb temperature rise and shift away from fossil fuels. This moment was particularly striking given that the United States bears the largest historical responsibility for global emissions since the Industrial Revolution.
“I have consistently been right about everything, and I assure you, if you do not abandon this green energy scam, your nation will falter,” he asserted.
Trump also bashed environmentalists, accusing them of wanting to “kill all the cows,” a claim entirely lacking evidence. While cattle do produce methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, some environmental groups advocate for reduced meat consumption rather than livestock eradication.
His speech, lasting 56 minutes, significantly exceeded the 15-minute time limit typically allotted to world leaders at the General Assembly podium. He specifically criticized European nations, including Britain—where he had received a lavish welcome just days prior—for expanding their renewable energy infrastructure.
Germany, he alleged, was being guided down “a very sick path” concerning both immigration and energy policies.
Jennifer Morgan, Germany’s climate change envoy, countered that European nations view clean energy as vital for both energy security and economic growth. She emphasized that a strong Europe requires “tackling climate change to avoid people having to leave their homes.”
Among his lengthier tangents, Mr. Trump lambasted the concept of a “carbon footprint”—the idea that individual or collective actions contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. He denounced it as “a hoax made up by people with evil intentions.”
Ironically, this very term was widely popularized by oil companies years ago as part of a strategic rebranding initiative.