![Former Secretary of State and climate czar John Kerry defended his frequent use of private jets by explaining he doesn't personally own one during a Thursday hearing. [Screenshot C-Span]](https://images.dailycaller.com/image/width=960,height=411,fit=cover,f=auto/https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Screenshot-2023-07-13-at-12.10.14-PM-e1689264669688.png "Former Secretary of State and climate czar John Kerry defended his frequent use of private jets by explaining he doesn't personally own one during a Thursday hearing. [Screenshot C-Span]")
Former Secretary of State and climate czar John Kerry defended his frequent use of private jets by explaining he doesn’t personally own one during a Thursday hearing.
Kerry was testifying about the budget overview for the state department’s climate agenda when he ended part of his testimony by claiming he does not own a private jet.
Florida Republican Rep. Cory Mills began his questioning by cracking a joke that he hoped Kerry’s attendance “wasn’t too problematic for your operational team in your private jet to get here.”
“I just don’t agree with your facts which began with one of the most outrageously, persistent lies that I hear, which is this private jet,” Kerry responded.
“We don’t own a private jet. I don’t own a private jet. I’ve personally never owned a private jet!” (RELATED: ‘Out Of Touch Contempt’: Ted Cruz Mocks John Kerry For Defending Billionaires’ Private Jet Usage)
Biden “climate envoy” John Kerry on his use of private jets:
“We don’t own a private jet. I don’t own a private jet. I’ve personally never owned a private jet!” pic.twitter.com/JkoeWEyiuZ
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 13, 2023
Kerry’s family owns a private jet which has emitted at least 300 metric tons of carbon dioxide since President Joe Biden took office, Fox News reported. During the first year and a half of Biden’s presidency, the Kerry family jet produced emissions equivalent to burning 331,923 pounds of coal, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s greenhouse gas calculator.
Kerry has defended billionaires using private jets during a March interview, saying he was opposed to characterizing the ultra-wealthy as reckless for using private planes to travel to climate change summits, instead arguing their other lifestyle choices “offset” the pollution from their private flights. “Offsets” refer to money spent or lifestyle choices to reduce one’s carbon footprint elsewhere to make up for emissions.
“They buy offsets, they offset,” Kerry argued in an interview with Yahoo News. “And they are working harder than most people I know to be able to try to effect this transition … Aviation as a whole, all of aviation in the world is about 3% of our emissions in the world.”