Washington, DC -- Today, Donald Trump gave a speech that was intended to cap off what he his White House has dubbed “Energy Week,” though the majority of the week has been spent on health care and the president’s sexist Twitter attacks.
Trump’s speech was preceded by a roundtable by Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. The panel spoke of the importance of government operations such as DOE’s labs, yet Trump’s budget would slash the funding; spoke on the beauty of and need to protect public lands, but is seeking to shrink national monuments and increase fossil fuel operations on public lands; and spoke on the desire to protect clean air and water, but is spending much of its time undoing life-saving environmental and climate standards.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement:
“When he isn’t flailing to save a bill kicking millions off of healthcare or making disgusting sexist remarks, Donald Trump has spent his ‘Energy Week’ highlighting just how weak he is on energy solutions. Trump’s rhetoric on energy falls short of the reality in which he’s cancelling life-saving public health standards that protect clean air and water just to boost the profits of fossil fuel executives. Trump isn’t leading America, he’s trying to drive us backwards and he will not succeed.
“Trump’s head is stuck so far into the sand that it’s no wonder the only thing he can speak of is fossil fuels -- he can’t see that solar and wind energy are creating more jobs and powering homes and businesses across the country. If he truly cared about energy dominance, Trump would be investing in growing the booming clean energy economy rather than trying to turn back the clock for dirty fuels.
“The American people are not sitting idly by as Trump installs the corporate polluter playbook. Hundreds of thousands are taking to the streets and calling the White House and Congress demanding climate action now. That’s why we’ve seen 36 cities already commit to 100% clean, renewable energy, the US Conference of Mayors unanimously approve a resolution supporting the goal of 100 percent clean and renewable energy, and 200,000 call on Washington to wake up and act during the Peoples Climate March.
“Trump is going to fail to halt our nation’s transition from fossil fuels to a clean energy economy just like he’s failed to change the narrative on energy this week.”
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