Trump Spokesman Won’t Say If EPA Nominee Believes In Climate Change

Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

During an interview with Fox News’ Megyn Kelly on Tuesday night, Jason Miller, a spokesman for Donald Trump’s transition team, repeatedly dodged questions about whether Trump’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency believes in climate change.

Kelly told Miller that “the left” is concerned that Trump’s EPA nominee, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt does not believe in climate change. Pruitt has expressed skepticism of climate change, writing earlier this year that “scientists continue to disagree about the degree and extent of global warming and its connection to the actions of mankind.”

“Does he believe in climate change?” Kelly asked Miller, referring to Pruitt.

In response, Miller said that Pruitt will “bring a sound balance to the EPA” and lamented that regulations have hurt American businesses.

Kelly asked Miller again, “Does he believe in climate change?”

“I think we want to see sound science,” Miller replied. “We want to see — take a look at what’s really going on.”

Kelly told Miller that he was “not really answering” and asked, “Is that a hard question?”

“No, I think it’s a straightforward answer in the fact that we want to see sound science in this, that we want to see people go through and see what we need to do to take care of the environment and make sure that we’re keeping our country clean and safe,” Miller responded. “But also, too, we’ve seen a lot of the science absolutely start running amok.”

“Do you think there’s a debate about whether there’s climate change versus what causes it?” Kelly asked in response.

“No, but obviously the world is continually changing,” Miller replied before again saying that the Trump administration does not want government to impede economic growth.

Watch the interview via Fox News. Kelly starts asking about Pruitt near the 2:15 mark.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. “Pruitt has expressed skepticism of climate change, writing earlier this year that ‘scientists continue to disagree about the degree and extent of global warming and its connection to the actions of mankind.’”

    That isn’t skepticism, that is lying.

  2. Avatar for hquain hquain says:

    Climate change is not something you believe ‘in’ — like Santa Claus.

  3. I agree. The headline should say “won’t say if EPA nominee rejects science.”

  4. It all comes down to whether you’re a sociopath by ideology, caring only for your own benefit no matter how cruelly it hurts others, or you see humanity and all of nature as interdependent. You believe in more power for the already powerful, or you believe in fair, equitable treatment based on long agreed-upon rules. Self-interest, or enlightened self-interest. That’s what we’re deciding right now and a lot of us are deciding wrong.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

26 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for austin_dave Avatar for construe Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for commiedearest Avatar for steviedee111 Avatar for rhea Avatar for thepsyker Avatar for whit Avatar for otterqueen Avatar for skippyflipjack Avatar for wassmuss Avatar for okay Avatar for lastroth Avatar for hquain Avatar for theghostofeustacetilley Avatar for dickweed Avatar for kickbass Avatar for philsays Avatar for spencersmom Avatar for rickjones Avatar for centralasiaexpat Avatar for nan_ca Avatar for aiddon

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: