At a recent press gathering, Trump was prompted to expound on his environmental opinions in the midst of the ongoing wildfires in Australia. Previously, Trump has been noted as calling climate change a hoax perpetuated by China. He's also been a staunch defender of rolling back regulations to allow companies to pollute more and has backed the US out of the Paris Climate Agreement. In a surprise move, Trump backed away from his normally skeptical demeanor and has decided to embrace the issue as a "serious subject."
But what caught most reporters' attention even more was the fact that Trump referenced that we was reading a book which, by all accounts, is not something anyone seriously believes Trump actually does or would do. This is a man who refuses to read briefings that are longer than three pages after all. Well, Trump elaborated on this particular piece of literature.
So of course you might be thinking "who in their right mind would possibly call Trump an Environmentalist?" Surely this must be some kind of joke? Well it turns out the source is a little closer to home than you'd think.
Ed Russo has worn many hats working for Trump. He's been a special projects manager, spokesman, project director, planning consultant, and most relevant, environmental consultant for the Trump Organization. Back in 2011, the Trump organization and Russo came under fire for the cutting down of 465 mature trees along the Potomac River where one of Trump's golf courses resides. Environmentalists charge that the removal of the trees has increased the risk of erosion into the river which is used by local wildlife for drinking water as well as the runoff also providing water to the 5 million residents in the immediate Washington DC area. Russo would fire back at those allegations, claiming that the trees were "weak" and suseptable to disease, claiming further that the removal of the trees is a net gain for the environment, despite the fact that there's no scientific evidence to suggest this has improved the environment around the area. The Washington Post would opine "Russo's ideas often go against the grain of conventional scientific wisdom and soil conservation practice."
Real life continues to be stranger than fiction, folks.
But what caught most reporters' attention even more was the fact that Trump referenced that we was reading a book which, by all accounts, is not something anyone seriously believes Trump actually does or would do. This is a man who refuses to read briefings that are longer than three pages after all. Well, Trump elaborated on this particular piece of literature.
So of course you might be thinking "who in their right mind would possibly call Trump an Environmentalist?" Surely this must be some kind of joke? Well it turns out the source is a little closer to home than you'd think.
Ed Russo has worn many hats working for Trump. He's been a special projects manager, spokesman, project director, planning consultant, and most relevant, environmental consultant for the Trump Organization. Back in 2011, the Trump organization and Russo came under fire for the cutting down of 465 mature trees along the Potomac River where one of Trump's golf courses resides. Environmentalists charge that the removal of the trees has increased the risk of erosion into the river which is used by local wildlife for drinking water as well as the runoff also providing water to the 5 million residents in the immediate Washington DC area. Russo would fire back at those allegations, claiming that the trees were "weak" and suseptable to disease, claiming further that the removal of the trees is a net gain for the environment, despite the fact that there's no scientific evidence to suggest this has improved the environment around the area. The Washington Post would opine "Russo's ideas often go against the grain of conventional scientific wisdom and soil conservation practice."
Real life continues to be stranger than fiction, folks.
