Sure, nobody was exactly expecting President Trump to use his State of the Union address to start touting the benefits of green energy or comment on the way in which global climate change probably contributed to the catastrophic storms and wildfires that killed hundreds of people last year, but I also doubt anyone was necessarily expecting him to try to describe the coal industry, of all things, as “clean” — which for some reason, is exactly what he did Tuesday night.
Allow me to explain: when the POTUS reached the portion of his speech dedicated to energy, not only did he make no mention of climate change, but he pushed forward with his administration’s agenda of strengthening the coal and oil industries. (Which happen to be two major contributors to environmental damage.)
“We have ended the war on American energy,” the president said. “We are now very proudly an exporter of energy to the world. We have ended the war on American Energy and we have ended the war on beautiful, clean coal.”
Naturally, the Internet did what it does best during when the president says things that blow our minds or downright terrify us and promptly used humor to make us all feel (only slightly) better:
“We have ended the war on beautiful clean coal.” #SOTU pic.twitter.com/WOKXvVispc
— shauna (@goldengateblond) January 31, 2018
I anxiously await beautiful clean coal detergent pods!
— Myrna Tellingheusen (@PearlsFromMyrna) January 31, 2018
This is the closest thing in existence to “beautiful, clean coal” #SOTU pic.twitter.com/LAUYZ0Ge6e
— Will Jarvis (@willyfrederick) January 31, 2018
Beautiful, clean coal and gorgeous, nourishing cigarette smoke and pleasant, invigorating asbestos and adorable, energy-giving lead and
— Dan Cederholm (@simplebits) January 31, 2018
And then there was this genius Cole Sprouse reference:
Beautiful clean Cole. pic.twitter.com/cyUt8AjIbf
— Maris Kreizman (@mariskreizman) January 31, 2018
I can’t decide whether to laugh or cry, but hey, that’s the Trump presidency for ya.