After a historic winter storm raged across 40 states, President Donald Trump used the opportunity to mock environmentalists on social media and jokingly ask, "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GLOBAL WARMING???"
Across the country, emergency declarations and preparations unfolded as arctic air and precipitation moved from the Rocky Mountains into the Northeast and Southeast. The National Weather Service warned of "widespread heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain" and the likelihood of prolonged power outages, hazardous travel and downed trees.
In a Truth Social post Friday, Trump described the approaching conditions as a "Record Cold Wave expected to hit 40 States. Rarely seen anything like it before." He then challenged environmental activists and skeptics of fossil fuel policy, deriding them as "environmental insurrectionists" and using the storm to cast doubt on long-term global warming trends.
Democrat and Republican leaders alike took to social media not to challenge science, but to warn Americans of the coming storm.
New York and Massachusetts Governors warned residents of heavy snowfall, ice hazards and life-threatening cold. In Boston, officials declared a cold emergency and warned of bitter wind chills. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency and told residents to expect "the heaviest snow in years," emphasizing the serious risks posed by freezing conditions.
Georgia's Republican Governor Brian Kemp also declared a state of emergency and mobilized resources, saying, "We are encouraging all Georgians to gather supplies and prepare for freezing precipitation that could cause dangerous travel conditions and potential power loss."
In the South, Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott declared a disaster for more than 130 counties and emphasized readiness ahead of the storm. "Whenever we go through any type of disaster, job number one is always protecting lives," Abbott said, pointing to state efforts to treat roads and prepare infrastructure.
North Carolina's Governor Josh Stein, a Democrat, issued a state of emergency and urged caution. "A winter storm is approaching, and now is the time to prepare," Stein said, advising residents to "get everything you need in advance" and limit travel so response crews can operate safely.
The president's comments reflect his and his party's longtime skepticism regarding the issue of climate change. Trump has previously called global warming a "hoax" perpetuated by the Chinese government. A Pew Research poll from March 2024 found that just 12% of Republicans see climate change as an important issue.
Yet scientific experts emphasize that cold snaps and record winter storms do not contradict the broader trend of a warming planet. According to climate scientists, extreme winter weather and global warming are not mutually exclusive.
Research suggests that human-driven warming, especially rapid warming in the Arctic, can contribute to these disruptions. Arctic temperatures have risen faster than the global average, shrinking sea ice and altering atmospheric patterns that make these polar vortex excursions more likely.
Moreover, long-term temperature records show that global average temperatures have continued climbing for decades, and that overall, winters are becoming milder even as isolated cold events occur. In the United States, the number of record hot days now far outnumbers record cold days, and coldest annual temperatures have warmed significantly.
