Mixed reactions when the US president called the air in India and China ‘dirty’ during the second and final presidential debate before the November 3 elections.
US President Donald Trump described the air in India and China as “dirty” and has sparked mixed reactions on social media, with many amused or embarrassed by the statement.
Trump made the remarks Thursday night by denouncing Democratic rival Joe Biden’s plans to address climate change during his second and final presidential debate before the Nov.3 election.
At the Nashville debate, Trump renewed his criticism that global action on climate change was unfair to the United States.
“Look at China, how disgusting it is. Look at Russia, look at India, it’s dirty. The air is dirty, ”Trump said at the debate in Nashville.
“India is dirty”
Wow. Wonderful. Great way to win over Indian Americans, Trump.
Genius.# Debates2020
– Wajahat “wears a mask due to a pandemic” Ali (@WajahatAli) October 23, 2020
Trump denounced that Biden’s climate plan was an “economic disaster” for US states such as Texas and Oklahoma, which produce oil.
Biden said that climate change is “an existential threat to humanity.”
“We have a moral obligation to deal with that,” he said. “We are going to pass the point of no return in the next eight to 10 years.”
Oh darling! @realDonaldTrump He called India “unclean”. They will NOT be happy.
– Annie Gowen (@anniegowen) October 23, 2020
Trump ‘stating the obvious’
Reacting to Trump’s comments, Vishnu Som, a journalist working for India’s NDTV network, said the US president was “stating the obvious” and that the country’s air is “woefully dirty.”
Shekhar Gupta, editor-in-chief of news website The Print, said “there is no point in being outraged.”
“Every year, about 15 of the 20 cities with the dirtiest air in the world are in India. We have also done little to address this, ”Gupta posted on Twitter.
Our air is dirty. Every year, about 15 of the 20 cities with the dirtiest air in the world are in India. We’ve done little to address this too, except pass the buck. There is no point in being outraged when Donald Trump tells that truth. Our air is a terrible global shame
– Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) October 23, 2020
Meanwhile, others, including Indian opposition leaders, condemned Trump’s comments, calling them “a humiliation.”
“Wow. Wonderful. A great way to win over Indian-Americans, Trump,” wrote US-based journalist Wajahat Ali.
Modi had spent 3.7 million rupees on flowers and covered the slums to beautify Trump’s route to the ‘Namaste Trump’ rally in Ahmedabad.
But Trump called India ‘dirty’ in today’s presidential debate!
Will Modi respond? Rest assured, Modi won’t say a word against her best friend Doland.
– Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) October 23, 2020
The planet has already warmed about 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) from pre-industrial levels, enough to increase the intensity of deadly heat waves, droughts and tropical storms.
But Trump has been repeatedly accused of downplaying the threats posed by climate change.
In 2018, it pulled the United States out of the Paris climate accord, which aims to limit global warming to below 2 ° C (3.6 ° F).
The US president’s remarks came on the heels of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to New Delhi next week for talks aimed at covering bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual concern, according to the government. Indian.
During the first presidential debate as well, Trump had spoken critically of India, questioning its data on the coronavirus amid criticism for its handling of the pandemic.
“Look at India, it’s dirty” @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/o9MAxKpn8y
– Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) October 23, 2020
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