Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom’s fiery rhetoric at the COP30 climate conference, where he labeled President Donald Trump an “invasive species,” is falling on deaf ears as the “green” movement loses momentum, according to Hoover Institution Senior Fellow Victor Davis Hanson.
Appearing on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle” Thursday evening, Hanson argued that Newsom, a leading candidate for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, and his allies supporting strict climate regulations are increasingly finding themselves out of touch with global realities.
“I think Gavin Newsom is a reactionary. They have lost the narrative. The world has passed them by,” Hanson told host Laura Ingraham.
Hanson pointed to two high-profile figures—one a royal, the other a tech titan—who signal a growing pushback against the costly economic sacrifices demanded by aggressive climate policies:
- King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, who Hanson noted is “no conservative,” has reportedly criticized Europe for “ruining our economy” by relying on wind and solar power while competitors thrive. The King’s concern centers on the fact that Europeans commit only 6% of global emissions yet bear a disproportionate economic burden.
- Bill Gates, a well-known climate activist, made headlines in October when he clarified that global warming is not an “existential crisis” leading to “humanity’s demise.” Furthermore, Hanson cited Gates expressing concerns about the need for reliable energy for his burgeoning AI (artificial intelligence) enterprises.
“All of these geostrategic issues made these people parochial, irrelevant… But they are not into what most people on the planet are worried about,” Hanson said, referring to the COP30 attendees.
The conversation also took a sharp turn toward the economic and geopolitical implications of the climate agenda, with Hanson asserting that current U.S. policy may be empowering global competitors.
“China has a Cheshire grin,” Hanson stated, because they are simultaneously “dumping solar and wind materials” globally while building new coal plants at a rate of two a month and expanding their nuclear power capacity. The goal, according to Hanson, is to achieve cheaper energy than anyone else, leaving the U.S. dependent on expensive Chinese-made green materials, which he claims “will ruin our economy.”
Host Laura Ingraham echoed this sentiment, arguing that the climate push seems to particularly target America to “suffer… because of our abundance, because of our freedom,” and even extended the critique to link the green agenda to an alleged dislike for fundamental constitutional amendments.
According to Hanson, the pragmatic realities of energy demands and global competition are overriding the idealism of the “green” movement, suggesting Newsom and the COP30 attendees are championing an increasingly isolated position.
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