"Trump says "nuclear warming" is a greater threat than global warming
Elon Musk defended the oil and gas industries in his conversation with former President Donald Trump on X, arguing that a significant increase in carbon dioxide could make breathing difficult but that maintaining current levels of greenhouse gas release will be sustainable for decades.
“It’s not like the house is on fire,” Musk said.
It’s a stunning – if not new – argument from Musk, the CEO of Tesla, who is the most prominent clean-energy executive in the world. Musk said the industries and its workers shouldn’t be “demonized,” and immediate action to switch from fossil fuels is unnecessary.
At the same time, Musk defended his electric vehicle business, which has come under attack from Trump during his campaign.
But Trump said several times throughout the interview that “nuclear warming” posed a bigger threat than “global warming.” It’s not clear what Trump meant, although he later clarified that nuclear power “is the biggest threat.”
Musk disagreed, defending nuclear electricity generation, arguing that its safety is widely misunderstood.
“It’s not as scary as people think,” Musk said.
Trump appeared to concede the point, suggesting nuclear power had to be called something else.
“You’re right,” Trump said. “Maybe they’ll have to change the name. We’ll name it after you or something. It has a branding problem”
Elon Musk defended the oil and gas industries in his conversation with former President Donald Trump on X, arguing that a significant increase in carbon dioxide could make breathing difficult but that maintaining current levels of greenhouse gas release will be sustainable for decades.
“It’s not like the house is on fire,” Musk said.
It’s a stunning – if not new – argument from Musk, the CEO of Tesla, who is the most prominent clean-energy executive in the world. Musk said the industries and its workers shouldn’t be “demonized,” and immediate action to switch from fossil fuels is unnecessary.
At the same time, Musk defended his electric vehicle business, which has come under attack from Trump during his campaign.
But Trump said several times throughout the interview that “nuclear warming” posed a bigger threat than “global warming.” It’s not clear what Trump meant, although he later clarified that nuclear power “is the biggest threat.”
Musk disagreed, defending nuclear electricity generation, arguing that its safety is widely misunderstood.
“It’s not as scary as people think,” Musk said.
Trump appeared to concede the point, suggesting nuclear power had to be called something else.
“You’re right,” Trump said. “Maybe they’ll have to change the name. We’ll name it after you or something. It has a branding problem”