Donald Trump Only Believes in Global Warming When It Affects His Bottom Line - and His Golf Course
Donald Trump regularly floats theories that fly in the face of science, including rhetoric espoused by anti-vaxxers and climate change deniers. Trump has previously called climate change “a very expensive hoax,” insisting the “bullshit” concept was “created by and for the Chinese” to squash competition in the United States.
The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump)1352229352.0
We should be focused on clean and beautiful air-not expensive and business closing GLOBAL WARMING-a total hoax!— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump)1388233827.0
This very expensive GLOBAL WARMING bullshit has got to stop. Our planet is freezing, record low temps,and our GW scientists are stuck in ice— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump)1388623196.0
But it seems there is one instance when Trump is willing to acknowledge the acute impact of rising sea levels as a result of global climate change: when it threatens his golf course.
Politico reported Monday that the reality TV star-turned-“legitimate” presidential candidate cited “global warming and its effects” on the eroding shoreline surrounding Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in County Clare, Ireland, in an application submitted to the Clare County Council requesting permission to build a two-mile wall along the beach.
“If the predictions of an increase in sea level rise as a result of global warming prove correct, however, it is likely that there will be a corresponding increase in coastal erosion rates not just in Doughmore Bay but around much of the coastline of Ireland,” the application reads. “In our view, it could reasonably be expected that the rate of sea level rise might become twice of that presently occurring.”
On his Twitter feed and in conversations with the media, Trump frequently states he’s “not a believer in man-made global warming,” insisting he doesn’t see global climate change as a big problem. Still, it seems rising sea levels and eroding shorelines do pose a big problem for the candidate’s Ireland property.
In an interview with Politico, former South Carolina Rep. Bob Inglis called Trump’s public dismissal of climate change "diabolical.”
“Donald Trump is working to ensure his at-risk properties and his company is trying to figure out how to deal with sea level rise,” Inglis said. “Meanwhile, he’s saying things to audiences that he must know are not true.”
“You have a soft place in your heart for people who are honestly ignorant, but people who are deceitful, that’s a different thing,” Inglis added.
