Former Vice President Al Gore drew a controversial parallel between the Trump administration and early Nazi Germany during remarks about climate change on Monday. Speaking at the opening of San Francisco Climate Week, Gore suggested the administration's actions echoed tactics from a uniquely evil historical period.
Gore addressed the comparison directly, acknowledging the horrors of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. He stated he understood why comparing other movements to that era is wrong, emphasizing its unparalleled evil. However, he argued "important lessons" could be found in the history of that "emergent evil."
His comparison focused on what he described as the Trump administration's attempts to manufacture its own reality. Gore cited German philosophers who studied the Third Reich after World War II, particularly Theodor Adorno, who noted the regime's "conversion of all questions of truth into questions of power" and attacks on "the very heart of the distinction between true and false," Politico reported. Gore contended the Trump administration now insists on creating its "own preferred version of reality."
The former vice president, who has devoted his post-White House life to shining a light on climate change, specifically criticized the administration's environmental stance. He accused it of working to halt the transition to clean energy and reduce fossil fuel burning.
Gore cited specific claims he attributed to the administration, including that the climate crisis is a hoax, coal is clean, wind turbines cause cancer, and sea level rise creates more beachfront property. He presented these as examples of creating a false reality.
In response, the White House pointed to a post on the social media site X by Communications Director Steven Cheung. The post suggested those who most loudly criticize others as Nazis often employ similar methods themselves.
Gore's remarks join a history of highly charged comparisons in American political discourse. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump faced similar links to Hitler and other authoritarian figures from political rivals and media commentators.
His comments also come amid a period of heightened criticism of the Trump administration from other prominent Democrats. Three former presidents have publicly condemned the administration in recent weeks. Joe Biden and Bill Clinton have spoken out against policy proposals like social security cuts, while Barack Obama also spoke out about the administration's targeting of universities. However, none of these recent criticisms from former presidents used the specific Nazi comparison employed by Gore.
Gore concluded his speech by stating the US was "under attack" and urged listeners to take action. He connected the "democracy crisis" with the climate crisis, arguing the former must be addressed to solve the latter.
