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Trump faces fact-checking from Germany over energy claim in debate with Harris

On Wednesday, the German Foreign Ministry delivered a brutal fact-check on Trump's false claim during the US debate that the country had backed away from its push to promote renewable energy sources.

During the presidential debate with Kamala Harris on Tuesday, Trump claimed:

They believe in things like, “We will not do fracking, we will not use fossil fuels.” … Germany tried that, and within a year they were back to building normal energy plants.

Like many Trump claims, this one could have been cleared up with a simple Google search. After Russia cut its gas supplies to Germany following its invasion of Ukraine, Germany had to increase its use of coal-fired power plants to secure its energy supply. But the country has not—nor has it—abandoned its investments in renewable energy as Trump has suggested. In fact, Russia's war has caused Germany to accelerate his investment.

Like many of Trump's other claims, this one could have been clarified with a simple Google search.

The German Foreign Ministry attempted to set the record straight in a post on X, also referring to Trump's racist lie that Haitian immigrants were eating people's pets.

“Whether we like it or not, Germany's energy system is fully functional and consists of more than 50% renewable energy,” the agency wrote on its English-language X account. “And we are closing coal and nuclear power plants – instead of building them. Coal will be off the grid by 2038 at the latest. PS: We don't eat cats and dogs either. #Debate2024.”

When Harris told Trump at the debate that world leaders were laughing at him, I imagine that was exactly the kind of mockery she meant.

When Harris told Trump at the debate that world leaders were laughing at him, I imagine that was exactly the kind of mockery she meant.

As the Washington Post reported, a spokesman for Germany's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate said on Wednesday that he was “quite surprised” by Trump's claim that Germany had returned to “building normal energy plants.” He added: “I don't know what the presidential candidate means by that.”

From his bizarre rants about wind power to his idiocy about rising sea levels, Trump's ignorance on environmental issues has been in the spotlight this election campaign. It's no surprise that he's faced public criticism from the German government.

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