As 2020 Democratic presidential candidates campaigned ahead of the Iowa caucuses, President Donald Trump held a rally in the state's capital city of Des Moines.
In addition to his usual targetsโimmigrants, Democratic lawmakers, and othersโTrump perpetuated myths about the Green New Deal and efforts to curtail the impending disasters brought by the climate crisis.
Watch below.
TRUMP: "They want to kill our cows. That means you're next." https://t.co/wcQ9J7RR2Zโ Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1580437122.0
Trump claimed the Green New Deal would:
"crush our farms, destroy our wonderful cows. I love cows. They want to kill our cows. You know why, right? ... They want to kill our cows. That means you're next."
The claim is bizarre, especially coming from a man who put his name in gold attempting to market a failed line of steaks.
Some facts:
The goal of the Green New Deal is to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by the year 2050, rather than no carbon dioxide emissions at all.
A fact sheet on the Green New Deal explained the emissions goal of net-zero rather than no emissions by facetiously stating, "we aren't sure that we'll be able to fully get rid of farting cows and airplanes that fast."
Republicans seized on this, claiming that Democrats were trying to ban cows and cheeseburgers and make air travel illegal.
In reality, the GND outlines ways to offset the emissions caused by air travel and methane-producing cows by investing and exploring clean technology, investing in high speed rail travel that lessens the need for air travel, and making meat substitute options more common in order to shrink the dependence on industrial agriculture.
People pointed out the obvious regarding Trump's claims that Democrats want to kill cows:
Does he forget where he gets his beef? https://t.co/p5qBjJYWCVโ Lisa Moraitis๐ฌ๐ท๐บ๐ธ (@Lisa Moraitis๐ฌ๐ท๐บ๐ธ) 1580496170.0
Either Trump doesnโt know where beef comes from or heโs saying that liberals are going to start eating people. https://t.co/ustPSqpZAjโ The Volatile Mermaid (@The Volatile Mermaid) 1580478794.0
does he think someone just cuts a bunch of hamburger patties out of the cow and then it gets on with its day https://t.co/8ZzRT5NCUeโ kilgore trout, toilet sword ninja (@kilgore trout, toilet sword ninja) 1580438799.0
...but thatโs how they MAKE your well-done ketchup steaks https://t.co/mgpsPwp3dgโ ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ก โค๏ธ๐๐ (@๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ก โค๏ธ๐๐) 1580438620.0
All cows are now allowed to die peacefully, but under Democratic regimes, they will be brutally murdered and turnedโฆ https://t.co/smq0BV0Jqjโ Jonathan Chait (@Jonathan Chait) 1580478551.0
And what exactly did he mean by "You're next"?
Correct. Cannibalism is obviously the next step after Dems have a taste for blood. https://t.co/ZUxWxTVIJIโ Sarah Levin (@Sarah Levin) 1580481815.0
@wsteaks @Bencjacobs The President of the United States just told a crowd that Democrats want to kill them. #THISISNOTNORMALโ Jo Anne in Texas ๐ท (@Jo Anne in Texas ๐ท) 1580435820.0
Did this man just suggest Democrats want to commit mass genocide in Iowa? Starting with cows, and then with humans? https://t.co/IQ4gMrIWELโ James Michael Sama (@James Michael Sama) 1580478806.0
Just another day in Trumpland. Can you take another four years of this?