In his address on Tuesday, President Donald Trump referred to climate change as the “greatest con job ever perpetuated” and a “scam.”
During an extensive critique of the long-established scientific consensus, President Trump’s remarks included the phrase “made by stupid people,” and he cautioned other countries against enacting green policies.
Addressing an assembly of over 150 global leaders and delegates, he declared, “If you don’t get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail.”
Trump asserted, “All of these predictions made by the United Nations and many others, often for bad reasons, were wrong.” He added, “They were made by stupid people.”
He further elaborated, “They said global warming will kill the world, but then it started getting cooler. So now they could just call it climate change, because that way, they can’t miss. It’s climate change, because if it goes higher or lower, whatever the hell happens, there’s climate change.”
Moreover, Trump alleged that the “carbon footprint is a hoax made up by people with evil intentions, and they’re heading down a path of total destruction.”
Decades of research substantiate the scientific understanding of climate change, indicating an unprecedented rate of planetary warming. This phenomenon contributes to elevated temperatures, more intense and frequent storms, and heightened drought risks, alongside various other problems.
While a 1989 declaration by a U.N. official, referenced by Trump, suggested that some nations might be erased from the Earth by 2000—a prediction that did not materialize—growing apprehension exists regarding climate change’s current impact on susceptible populations. In the past decade alone, weather-induced catastrophes have led to 220 million internal displacements.
Trump’s statements align with a consistent effort by his administration to downplay the dangers of climate change. A recent Department of Energy (DOE) report, for instance, portrayed climate change as “less damaging economically than commonly believed.” Over 85 scientists criticized the report, alleging that officials selectively used data to support the administration’s pro-fossil fuel agenda.
The Trump Administration has additionally overseen the State Department office behind climate negotiations, and also those initiatives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft engines. During his prior presidential term, the U.S. was withdrawn from the Paris climate accord by the President.
On Tuesday, Trump lauded his various climate-related undertakings, stating, “The United States has been taken advantage [of] by much of the world, but not anymore,” while addressing U.S. energy exports.”
Trump’s comments precede the 2025 UN Climate Summit by merely one day, an event where nations their new climate action policy plans.
