President Donald Trump dismissed reporters on Monday who said climate change and global warming are the cause of the number of hurricanes hitting the United States.
“Well, the weather has been a factor, and yet they say that the worst hurricanes were 50 years ago if you can believe it,” Trump said.
The president took questions on Monday during his visit to Georgia to view the damage caused by Hurricane Michael, one of the strongest storms to hit the United States.
Trump pointed to two other hurricanes that were stronger than Hurricane Michael, one in the 1890s and one 50 years ago.
He suggested that the weather was part of a cycle, reminding reporters he was a property owner in Florida.
“Man-made or not, there’s something there, and it’s going to go back and forth,” Trump said.
He ignored a question about whether he would revisit Obama’s Paris climate deal.
“I am truly an environmentalist,” Trump said, pointing out his love for clean air and water. “A lot of people smile when they hear that … but that doesn’t mean we have to put every one of our businesses out of business.”
When asked if he believed the NOAA study that said climate change would make strong hurricanes even stronger, Trump said he would have to look at the study.
Trump also spoke about climate change causing hurricanes in an interview aired Sunday with CBS reporter Lesley Stahl,
“I think something’s happening. Something’s changing and it’ll change back again,” Trump said. “I don’t think it’s a hoax, I think there’s probably a difference. But I don’t know that it’s man-made.”