'We're doomed': Twitter shocked by Trump's 'bizarre' boast that polar ice caps 'now setting records'
This isn't the first time Trump has questioned the existence and effects of climate change.
US President Donald Trump's stance and remarks on climate change have once again left social media users shocked after he said polar ice caps have hit a "record level". In a 45-minute interview with Piers Morgan that was broadcast on ITV on Sunday night (29 January), Trump said the ice caps were "supposed to be gone by now", but instead they're "breaking records".
"The ice caps were going to melt, they were going to be gone by now, but now they're setting records. They're at a record level," Trump said.
When asked if he believed in the existence of climate change, Trump seemed to have mixed up climate change and global warming.
"There is a cooling, and there's a heating. I mean, look, it used to not be climate change, it used to be global warming. Right? That wasn't working too well because it was getting too cold all over the place," Trump said.
Although climate change and global warming are connected, they are separate things with different meanings.
According to Nasa, global warming refers to the Earth's rising surface temperature due to rampant use of fossil fuels while climate change refers to the "broad range of global phenomena created predominantly by burning fossil fuels". Global warming is one of those phenomena while other changes include rising sea levels, extreme weather events and significant ice mass loss in Greenland, the Arctic, Antarctica and mountain glaciers across the globe.
Last year was also one of the Earth's warmest years on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Trump's comments that the polar ice caps are breaking records are true - for melting. Last year, Nasa reported that sea ice in both the Antarctic and the Arctic were at a record low due to melting.
Trump on climate change: “There is a cooling and there’s a heating. I mean, look, it used to not be climate change, it used to be global warming. That wasn’t working too well because it was getting too cold all over the place†pic.twitter.com/o8wKrkayoO
— Mark Di Stefano 🤙🻠(@MarkDiStef) January 28, 2018
In December, Trump appeared to confuse climate change and weather when discussing the cold weather across the US East Coast.
In the East, it could be the COLDEST New Year’s Eve on record. Perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming that our Country, but not other countries, was going to pay TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS to protect against. Bundle up!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2017
Meanwhile, Twitter users were left astonished and shaking their heads after Trump's latest confusing remarks on climate change.
"This amount of stupidity is very dangerous," one person tweeted.
Another added: "It's not surprising Trump spouts incorrect, deceptive #climate nonsense: he is scientifically illiterate, has no science advisor, and gets his only information from a talk show with people equally ignorant and intentionally misleading."
It’s not surprise that what he says makes no sense and reflects an ignorance that wouldn’t be expected from an 11 year old. #TrumpMorgan
— Ian Donald (@iandonald_psych) January 28, 2018
Oh man. Here's Trump on climate change to Piers Morgan:
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) January 28, 2018
“The ice caps were going to melt, they were going to be gone by now, but now they’re setting records."
They're setting record lows, not highs.https://t.co/apmHovMCCo
Truly astonishing this Trump interview with @piersmorgan. He actually just said globe's ice caps are at 'record level', and implied record cold. Can't grasp diff between average temps and weather. Ignores NASA's own stats showing 10 warmest years on record hv occurred since 1997
— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) January 28, 2018
What planet is he on?
— Paula Buck (@PaulaBuck1017) January 29, 2018
I lack words. Absolutely jaw dropping.
— George Kazolias (@KazoliasG) January 29, 2018
Finally, Trump said he'd consider getting back into the Paris climate agreement because, "as you know, I like Emmanuel." He has continually suggested that he believes the Paris agreement is an actual French thing rather than a global accord simply agreed to in France.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) January 28, 2018
He's suggesting that although the ice caps were supposed to be gone by now, they're actually setting records for their large size. In fact, they're setting records on the other end.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) January 28, 2018
He has absolutely no interest in learning about anything. He thinks he knows it all already because he’s, like, really smart.
— Trump's Feet (@TrumpFeet) January 28, 2018
The ice caps have done an amazing job and are being recognized more and more.
— Sam Purdy (@purdycity) January 28, 2018
Another gem from our "stable genius"
— Shmoolbear (@Shmool_bear) January 28, 2018
Watching Donald Trump tell Piers Morgan the ice caps have never been better is a nightmare we cannot wake up from https://t.co/ryxS4xKrQ6 pic.twitter.com/W9G2LLvg6R
— Gizmodo (@Gizmodo) January 29, 2018
Piers Morgan asked Donald Trump "do you believe in climate change?" This is his response, which contains a lie about how the term "climate change" was coined, two lies about the "ice caps" and a total misunderstanding of science pic.twitter.com/2YOX9rVfKa
— Brian L Kahn (@blkahn) January 29, 2018
Trump praises ice caps for ‘setting record’ during his presidency: ‘They were going to be gone by now’
— (((DuneMyThangâ„¢))) (@Kris_Sacrebleu) January 28, 2018
SERIOUSLY, this is SCARY DUMB, even for him. #MAGA #ClimateAction #ClimateChange https://t.co/mVSVw4XisF
I just can't anymore.
— Denise Michelle (@ladyinlksd) January 28, 2018
Who let the genius out of the stable?
— Mme Curie (@MmeScience) January 28, 2018
Trump saw Frozen and conflated that with the real ice caps.
— Kona Bob (@konabob4) January 28, 2018
Ice cap levels are at record LOWS, and the president of the US is spreading anti-science bullshit. This is one of the very worst consequences of electing this blinkered moron. He's putting the whole world in danger.
— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) January 29, 2018
Make it stop. pic.twitter.com/sfhx66N86x
— Tanya (@tanyalee0820) January 29, 2018
When we send our President, we aren't sending the best.
— JimmyO (@jimmyotx) January 29, 2018
imagine having access to the greatest minds in the world, any text you want, any source just a phone call away. and you're still this incredibly dumb. https://t.co/z6cRxwR6OD
— Tessa Miller (@TessaJeanMiller) January 29, 2018
Dear Lord. We're doomed.
— (((Greg Siskind))) (@gsiskind) January 29, 2018
Dear Lord. We're doomed.
— (((Greg Siskind))) (@gsiskind) January 29, 2018
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