Trump Dismisses Climate Change at UN, Echoing Decades of Denial

Climate denial is not new—skeptics have existed for decades—but last week, it reached the global stage when US President Donald Trump addressed the United Nations General Assembly. In his characteristic bombastic style, Trump called climate change “the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world,” labeling carbon footprints “nonsense” and UN predictions “wrong” and made by “stupid people.”

By dismissing decades of scientific research, Trump ignored the evidence linking fossil fuel emissions to global warming, extreme weather events, and devastating economic impacts. Between 2000 and 2019 alone, the UN reported climate change caused at least $2.8 trillion in losses, with projected annual damages of $1.7–$3.1 trillion by 2050. Last year, global temperatures breached the 1.5°C threshold agreed upon at the Paris Climate Accord, marking the hottest year since 1850.

Critics note that Trump’s positions align with fossil fuel interests. Analysis shows the industry spent $445 million on his re-election campaign from January 2023 to November 2024, and $19 million on his inaugural fund this January. Over decades, the fossil fuel lobby has denied climate science, and Trump has become one of its most prominent advocates, with consequences for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable populations.