Former Vice President Al Gore claimed Monday that President Donald Trump is ‘the face of global climate denial.’
Gore spoke to CNN reporter Bill Weir at the United Nations in a clip that ran on “The Lead with Jake Tapper,” saying that Trump was actually inspiring and motivating more climate activists.
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“Jake, a fittingly unseasonably warm day as world leaders gather to talk about the climate situation, the president popping in to listen to China and Germany,” Weir began, following a clip of President Donald Trump’s surprise entrance at the UN’s climate forum earlier in the day.
Weir then introduced Gore as an expert on the subject, saying, “One world leader who knows this topic well and is back in familiar territory, former Vice President Al Gore. Thank you for coming outside.”
“What do you make of the lack of American leadership here today?” Weir continued.
“I think that — to focus on the good news side of it,” Gore laughed. “Donald Trump being the face of global climate denial actually is motivating the kind of uprising and enthusiasm we saw last Friday with these millions of young people marching. I’m optimistic. We’re behind at the beginning of the second half, but we’ve got the tools we need to address this crisis.”
Weir continued, touting Gore as a pioneer in climate change and shaking his head that “very little has been done” in the time since.
Gore has called Trump “the face of climate denial” before with Trevor Noah during an appearance on “The Daily Show” in November of last year.”It’s really significant, Trevor, that Donald J. Trump is now the face of climate denial. His voice is the voice of climate denial,” Gore said. “When he’s the principal global face of climate denial, I think that’s a cue. You know, in physics there’s this well-known principle — for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction.” (RELATED: Al Gore: Trump Is The ‘Face Of Climate Denial’)
Gore also predicted a rise in activism would come along with that, saying, “I think that some of the mobilization that is really building — we saw it in the election three weeks ago with the blue wave. I think part of that is a reaction to what Donald Trump is saying and doing.”