Repeatedly calls climate change a "HOAX" during polar vortex cold snap
During the January 2014 polar vortex that brought record cold temperatures to the U.S., Trump tweeted multiple times calling climate change a hoax. On January 25, he tweeted: "NBC News just called it the great freeze - coldest weather in years. Is our country still spending money on the GLOBAL WARMING HOAX?" On January 29, he added: "The weather has been so cold for so long that the global warming HOAXSTERS were forced to change the name to climate change to keep $ flow!" These tweets exemplified Trump's fundamental misunderstanding of the difference between weather (short-term conditions) and climate (long-term patterns). Scientists at the time were actually explaining how climate change could intensify polar vortex events by weakening the jet stream. Trump's tweets spread climate denial misinformation to millions of followers and established a pattern he would continue as president—using cold weather events to deny climate science despite overwhelming scientific consensus.
“NBC News just called it the great freeze - coldest weather in years. Is our country still spending money on the GLOBAL WARMING HOAX?” — January 25, 2014 tweet during polar vortex cold snap
Analysis Feed
AI commentaryTrump's tweets deliberately conflated weather (short-term cold) with climate (long-term warming trends), a classic climate denial tactic that misleads the public.
The timing during a major cold snap maximized the impact of the misinformation, as people experiencing extreme cold were receptive to doubting climate science.
The term 'HOAXSTERS' implied climate scientists were engaged in intentional fraud for financial gain, undermining trust in scientific institutions.
This pattern of denying climate science during cold weather would continue through his presidency, shaping Republican climate policy for years.