California Gov. Jerry Brown Just Called Trump a “Liar,” “Criminal,” and “Fool” When it Comes to Climate Change

“Pick your choice.”

Dominika Zarzycka/ZUMA

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

At a global climate summit in San Francisco on Thursday, California Governor Jerry Brown didn’t mince words when asked how he thought historians would remember President Trump’s climate legacy: “A liar, criminal, fool. Pick your choice.” 

“When Trump says, in effect, ‘We like more methane going into the air,’ that is highly destructive,” he said. “Very highly destructive.”

Brown was referring to a new report from the New York Times about Trump administration plans to cut Obama-era methane emission standards. Methane, a greenhouse gas, is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. 

California long been one of the country’s environmental leaders, at times deliberately opposing the Trump administration. Just this week, Gov. Brown issued an executive order directing the state to achieve a zero-carbon footprint by 2045 and signed into law SB100, which aims to make the state’s electricity supply totally emissions-free by the same year.

Read more about the global climate summit, hosted by Brown in San Francisco this week, here.

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate