The truth about Donald Trump vs The Environment

Ever since President Donald Trump took office in January, there has been a firestorm of debate over his environmental policies. Mr. Trump entered the White House with the lowest approval rating of any incoming president, and chief among his critics are environmentalists who believe he is a worst-case-scenario leader for a planet already fighting the battle against climate change.

Every move the president makes seems to be either strongly supported or highly criticized, and his decisions regarding climate change are definitely no exception. The following are some of the most shocking moments in the history of Donald Trump versus the environment.

Trump Puts A Climate Change Skeptic In Charge Of The EPA

Scott Pruitt, the Trump-appointed head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), not only doubts climate change, but is also a die-hard supporter of big oil and gas companies. When he was the attorney general for the state of Oklahoma, Pruitt sued the EPA more than a dozen times. Pruitt has even stated that he does not believe that carbon dioxide is a major contributor to global warming.

Climate Change Denial

Tweets from Donald Trump remind us time and time again that the president is a climate change non-believer. It is impossible to forget the time he tweeted, “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.” Trump even nominated Republican Congressman Jim Bridenstine to head NASA, who has also voiced doubts about climate change.

Trump’s Withdrawal From The Paris Accord

Leaving the Paris Agreement was one of the least popular moves the president made, sparking disapproval and outrage all over the world. Trump stood by his decision, however, claiming that the pact was “a massive redistribution of United States wealth to other countries.”

Reversal Of Obama’s Climate Policies

In 2014 Trump tweeted, “The only global warming that people should be concerned with is the global warming caused by nuclear weapons because of our weak U.S. leader.” As soon as he moved into the White House, Trump began working to dismantle any environmental regulations that Obama had put in place, and signed an executive order that reversed the government’s enforcement of climate policies.

Tweets About North Korea

President Trump also took to Twitter to respond to powerful nuclear tests by North Korea. He tweeted, “North Korea is a rogue nation which has become a great threat and embarrassment to China, which is trying to help but with little success.” The president faced harsh criticism for being so cavalier about the threat of nuclear war, which would have catastrophic consequences for the environment, including radiation that could affect millions.

Immigration Enforcement

Trump has pursued immigration reform more aggressively than any other president. FactCheck.org reports that the the number of people apprehended or denied access at the US/Mexico border declined by 53 percent from June 2016 to June 2017. However, the construction of his proposed border wall would endanger many species, according to experts, without slowing down human traffic at the border.

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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer