Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday slammed electric vehicles in his interview with Tucker Carlson, after skipping the first Republican national debate that saw his party mates trade barbs on national TV.
What Happened: During the nearly 46-minute interview, Trump, who has voiced his criticism for EVs before, said that President Joe Biden‘s administration is “destroying” the U.S. with “electric cars and windmills.”
“They don’t work. And they are made in China for the most part. Germany, a little bit. But China mostly,” Trump said.
Talking about charging anxiety often quoted as a downside of electric vehicles, Trump said, “The happiest moment for somebody in an electric car is the first ten minutes. The unhappiest part is the next hour because you are petrified that you are not going to be finding another charger.”
Trump noted that the grid all over the country is a ‘disaster’ for the transition to EVs and that people must be allowed to buy everything.
“I am not knocking electric cars, they are fine. But if people want to buy a gasoline car or hybrid- hybrids are pretty good, actually- they should be allowed to buy,” Trump said.
Why It Matters: The interview was conducted at Trump’s golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey. It was pre-recorded and released five minutes ahead of the GOP debate on Wednesday, causing a stir online. Trump did not attend the GOP debate.
In June, Trump had termed Biden a “catastrophe’ for Michigan” while addressing Oakland County Republicans in the state.
Trump alleged that electric cars would destroy more than half the jobs in the auto industry, and decimate suppliers and the state of Michigan itself to a level that people cannot imagine. Trump termed Biden’s move towards EVs “heartless environmental extremism.”
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