Thread by @SPMiles42

There’s an emerging right wing narrative that somehow @POTUS energy policy is the real culprit on #Ukraine. It’s absurd but nonetheless having to refute absurdity is where we’re at in 2022, so let’s dig in. 🧵

The argument goes like this, Trump had a policy of “energy independence” and Biden is ending that which means that now since Russia exports oil and gas, we’re now strengthening them and Putin. Again, this is absurd in multiple ways. 2/

Let’s start with the fundamental truth that Trump’s energy policy was to double down on fossil fuels and undermine global efforts for a green transition. This isn’t “energy independence” it’s preservation of a global fossil fuel industry that empowers Russia. 3/

Russia is a massive fossil fuel state. It’s oil and gas exports are indeed a strong piece of leverage over Europe (where they primarily go, not the US) as well as a major source of revenue for the relatively weak Russian economy. Without fossil fuels Russia is pretty f*ed. 4/

What would really undermine Russia and weaken Putin would be a massive decarbonization of Europe and a global shift away from fossil fuels. Denied his largest customers, Russia would struggle. Shifting off of fossil fuels would also crash the price of oil and gas. 5/

If you make most of your money off selling a product and instead of getting $100 for that product you get $50 or even less, we’ll it’s pretty obvious what happens. Again, Trump’s policies were not aimed at this at all. They were aimed at the opposite. 6/

Let’s also remember that Russia isn’t the only country that exists. During Trump’s tenure he embraced the Gulf petro states of UAE and Saudi harder than probably any US President ever. He gave them unprecedented favors, massive arms sales, and complete political immunity. 7/

Oh yeah, those countries have also spent years trying to keep the price of oil high through their cartel, OPEC, only lowering it when they specifically want to drive US production out of the market by making it unprofitable since it is more costly. 8/

Do you remember any Trump trade war over that? Yeah, don’t think so. Interestingly, OPEC struggled in that goal in part bc Russia was unwilling to let prices truly go low for long. Why? Oh yeah, they need oil and gas money and higher prices. 9/

All of that is to say that, no, doubling down on fossil fuels isn’t “energy independence.” It’s the opposite. It’s actually trying yourself to a corrupt global industry that fuels some of the worst human rights abusing, war crime committing states in the world. 10/

True energy independence requires a shift away from fossil fuels, exactly the kind of shift @POTUS has pushed through his policies. What’s needed is actually to go FAR quicker and farther by adopting a #GreenNewDeal in the US and globally. 11/

Could go on and on. Leaving Paris and undermine global green efforts, reversing the federal govt’s green initiatives, a massive military buildup (remember the US military is a major carbon polluter) and on and on and on. Trump’s energy policies were the problems not @POTUS. 12/

I know it’s a lot for anyone to expect anything other than blind adherence to Trump by the right, but for those in the media and anyone whose not gone full MAGA, I hope you’ll take a minute to understand how truly awful Trump’s energy policies were in so many ways. 13/13