Fox News host: President Biden’s move to protect Grand Canyon land a ploy to fund Russian government
Fox News host Jesse Watters on Tuesday night criticized President Joe Biden's decision to protect the area around the Grand Canyon by declaring it a national monument.
Media Matters for America Deputy Director of Rapid Response Andrew Lawrence shared a clip from Watters' segment via Twitter, writing, "[I] really [don't] think people understand just how completely bat s**t [J]esse [W]atters is but here he is saying that [J]oe [B]iden declared the [G]rand [C]anyon a [national] monument as part of a scheme to funnel money to [R]ussia [I] guess?"
During his Tuesday night rant, Watters said, "Joe Biden visited the Grand Canyon today to designate it a national monument. This would be the 130th National Monument, but as always is the case with Joe Biden, you have to follow the money. When you designate something as a national monument, you automatically stop all industrial and commercial activity in the area. Meaning what Joe Biden's really doing is blocking mining activity on a million acres, bordering the Grand Canyon. What kind of mining? uranium mining. Now, why would Joe Biden block uranium mining? Uranium's used for nuclear power plants, nuclear powered subs, electricity, no emissions. It's also used for radiation treatments to cure cancer. Curing cancer and reducing emissions are two of Joe Biden's biggest initiatives."
READ MORE: Jesse Watters offers Republicans a 'Black outreach plan'
He continued, "So, does the United States have enough uranium stockpile to just ban uranium mining from a million acres? The answer's no. The United States imports 95% of our uranium, a major energy sector, and a national security sector is almost entirely dependent on other countries. So who are these other countries that we depend on? Uranium imports. The United States buys most of our uranium from Russia and Kazakhstan. Also Canada and Africa and Joe Biden is single handedly losing Africa. The Biden administration has watched African allies be toppled by coup after coup after coup and fall into Russia's orbit.
The right-wing host went on to say, "Niger, one of the biggest uranium producers in the world, huge untapped reserves. A former French colony and an American ally just fell to a military kill. A month after our Secretary of State visited brought suitcases full of cash and said everything's fine. And now Russia owns Niger's Uranium."
Axios reports, "The creation of the new national monument — called Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni — will protect nearly a million acres of land that is sacred to Native American tribes, the White House said."
The news outlet also emphasizes, "The designation will safeguard the area from future uranium mining, which Native tribes and environmental groups have long sought in order to protect the Colorado River watershed, the New York Times reported."
Additionally, Bloomberg Law notes "Environmental and tribal groups worry uranium mining will contaminate water flowing through tribal land and harm the Grand Canyon."
Watch the video below or at this link.
READ MORE: 'Use your voice responsibly': Fox host’s mom tells him to stop spreading conspiracy theories
Axios' full report is available at this link. Bloomberg Law's report is here.
- Niger is the fourth country in the Sahel to experience an anti-Western coup ›
- Why depleted uranium has no place in Ukraine ›
- Experts say more cuts needed as states agree to reduce Colorado River use ›
