President Donald Trump declared any country with windmills a "loser" during Oval Office remarks — a statement that inadvertently included the U.S. The United States runs over 77,000 turbines across about 1,800 projects, and wind generated 464.4 TWh (roughly 10.5% of U.S. power) in 2025. Trump’s long-standing attacks on wind energy date to a turbine near his Scottish golf course, and his claim that a June 2024 debate was disrupted by wind-related outages has been debunked by fact-checkers.
Trump Calls Countries With Windmills 'Losers' — Remark Backfires on the U.S.
Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
President Donald Trump unintentionally included the United States among "losers" during a recent Oval Office tirade criticizing wind power, attacking Europe's energy choices while overlooking America's extensive wind industry.
Speaking Monday about his grievances with European nations, the president said he felt sorry for the continent and complained about immigration and energy. "They have windmills all over the place," he said, adding:
"Any country with windmills is a loser, okay? You just have to look. If they have windmills, they're a loser. Because you lose money with windmills."
How That Claim Collides With U.S. Reality
That sweeping judgment immediately clashed with domestic facts. The United States operates more than 77,000 wind turbines across roughly 1,800 onshore and offshore projects, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In 2025, wind power produced 464.4 terawatt-hours of electricity — about 10.5% of the nation’s total power generation, a figure cited by climate policy expert Steven Cohen.
Longstanding Opposition And Debunked Anecdotes
Trump's hostility toward wind energy stretches back more than a decade, when a turbine project came into view of his Aberdeenshire golf course in Scotland. Since entering politics, he has repeatedly made claims — without scientific backing — that wind turbines cause health problems, kill wildlife, and depress property values.
He also revived an unusual anecdote about his June 2024 debate with President Joe Biden, claiming that viewers missed the event because "the wind wasn't blowing" and that TV service went out in areas dependent on wind power. CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale described that account as "completely made up." More than 51 million Americans watched the debate on television, including viewers in Texas, the state that generates the most wind power in the country.
Why It Matters
The exchange highlights how political rhetoric can clash with energy realities. Wind power is a significant component of the U.S. electricity mix and an active topic in debates about economics, reliability and climate policy. Critics and supporters alike benefit from fact-based discussion about costs, benefits and trade-offs rather than sweeping labels.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu for Mandatory.com; this version consolidates key facts and reporting for clarity.
Help us improve.
