Donald Trump launches scathing rant about windmills during EU trade talks

Scottish Sun

3 days ago

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DONALD Trump launched a scathing rant about windmills before announcing a trade deal with the European Union this evening.
The US President, 79, struck the 'biggest of all deals' following meetings with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, at Turnberry, in Ayrshire.
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President Donald Trump called wind energy a 'con job'
Credit: AP
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He went on a scathing rant about windmills and said they were 'no good'
Credit: Alamy
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It came before he announced a trade deal with the EU
Credit: Getty
Ms von der Leyen confirmed there would be US tariffs on goods from Europe of 15 per cent across the board.
Speaking to reporters at his luxury golf resort, Mr Trump said: "We have reached a deal. It's a good deal for everybody.
"It's going to bring us closer together... It's a partnership in a sense."
He added: "It's great that we made a deal instead of playing games".
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen also hailed it as a "huge deal", which came after "tough negotiations".
However, ahead of the trade talks, the Republican chief went on a scathing rant about windmills and vowed not to let another one be built in the US.
We will not allow a windmill to be built in the US. They're killing us. They're killing the beauty of our scenery, our valleys, our beautiful planes
President Donald Trump
At a press conference with Ms von der Leyen, he called them a "con job" and said "wind doesn't work".
The American leader said: "We will not allow a windmill to be built in the US. They're killing us.
"They're killing the beauty of our scenery, our valleys, our beautiful planes - and I'm not talking about aeroplanes, I'm talking about beautiful planes, beautiful areas in the US - and you look up and you see windmills all over the place.
"It's a horrible thing, it's the most expensive form of energy. It's no good.
Trump and EU chief von der Leyen discuss trade talks ahead of breakthrough deal
"They're made in China, almost all of them, and when they start to rust and rot in eight years, you can't really turn them off, you can't bury them.
"They won't let you bury the propellers, the props, because they are a certain type of fibre that doesn't go well with the land, that's what they say.
"The environmentalists say you can't bury them because the fibre doesn't go well with the land. In other words, if you bury it, it will harm our soil.
"The whole thing is a con job - it's very expensive, and in all fairness, Germany tried it, and wind doesn't work.
"You need subsidy for wind, and energy should not need subsidy. With energy, you make money; you don't lose money."
Mr Trump also claimed that windmills harm animals and said they were "very expensive".
It's a horrible thing, it's the most expensive form of energy. It's no good... The whole thing is a con job... wind doesn't work
President Donald Trump
The US has around 1,500 wind power projects with over 70,800 wind turbines, spread across a total of 44 states, according to Inspire Clean Energy.
But Mr Trump slammed them for ruining the landscape and claimed that several projects in Massachusetts are causing the death of whales in the surrounding area by "driving them loco".
He added: "More importantly than that is it ruins the landscape, it kills the birds, they're noisy.
"You know, you have a certain place in the Massachusetts area that over the last 20 years had one or two whales wash ashore.
"And over the last short period of time, they had 18, ok, cause it's driving them loco. It's driving them crazy.
"Now windmills will not come, it's not going to happen in the US. It's very expensive."
'Festival of resistance'
A "FESTIVAL of resistance
The protest at The White Horse Inn, Balmedie, Aberdeen, is close to the Trump International Scotland golf resort.
And organisers said they object to it receiving £180,000 of public funding for the Nexo Championship next month.
Organiser of Stop Trump Scotland, Alena Ivanova, said: "As Donald Trump is expected to arrive at his Aberdeenshire golf course, residents and protesters are gathering in Balmedie from 3pm to continue the festival of resistance.
"This message is to Donald Trump but also our elected leaders preparing to meet him: there is no place for Trumpism in Scotland."
Mr Trump went on to say that they are ruining the views at his luxury Turnberry course, which he called "the best course in the world".
The US President said: "I mean, today, I'm playing the best course I think in the world, Turnberry - even though I own it, it's probably the best course in the world, right - and I look over the horizon and I see nine windmills right at the end of the 18th hole.
"And I said, 'Isn't that a shame? What a shame.'
"You have the same thing all over, all over Europe in particular. You have windmills all over the place.
"Some of the countries prohibit it, but... people ought to know, these windmills are very destructive.
"They're environmentally- just the exact opposite, because the environmentalists, they're not really environmentalists, they're political hacks.
"These are people that... they almost want to harm the country.
I'm playing the best course I think in the world, Turnberry... and I look over the horizon and I see nine windmills. And I said, 'Isn't that a shame?'
President Donald Trump
"But you look at these beautiful landscapes all over the world... many countries have gotten smart and they will not allow it. They will not.
"It is the worst form of energy, the most expensive form of energy, but windmills should not be allowed."
It comes before the American leader is set to be pushed by Sir Keir Starmer on how to end the starvation of kids in Gaza.
Earlier today, Mr Trump teed off on his second round in Turnberry after landing on Friday night, accompanied by a massive security team.
Meanwhile, anti-Trump rallies across Scotland were mounted in Aberdeen and Edinburgh on Saturday as the American leader enjoyed a round of golf at his luxury Ayrshire resort.
The US President landed in Scotland in a party mood after revealing his plans for a trade deal celebration with the Prime Minister and First Minister John Swinney.
Mr Trump said: "We're going to do a little celebrating because we get along very well."
He was welcomed by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray before being whisked to his luxury Turnberry resort 20 miles down the Ayrshire coast.