Trump’s interior secretary said solar power was no good when the sun doesn’t shine and suffered a brutal one-word takedown
You’ll already be aware that Donald Trump is no fan of renewable energy – drill, baby, drill and all that – so it should come as no surprise to learn that his interior secretary Doug Burgum isn’t either.
We say this after Burgum appeared before a House committee where he was super dismissive of wind and solar power because what happens when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine?
Naff all, suggested Burgum.
And it was left to Democratic lawmaker Seth Magaziner to put him right in devastating fashion.
BURGUM: When the sun goes down, solar produces zero electricity
HUFFMAN: I want to enter into the record this amazing new technology that apparently the secretary is unaware of — it’s a battery pic.twitter.com/tPmRhmtnA9
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 13, 2026
Or if you’d rather cut to the chase …
Burgum: When the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine—
Magaziner: *holds up battery* We have these things called batteries. pic.twitter.com/3csrDZLVRY
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 13, 2026
Boom.
1.
One thing is guaranteed in life, and that’s the sun will come back up shortly; if it doesn’t, we have nothing else to worry about.
— 🥀_ Imposter_🥀 (@Imposter_Edits) May 13, 2026
2.
Burgum: When the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine—
Magaziner: https://t.co/bpGoOzwZ39 pic.twitter.com/SXCwn6um53
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 13, 2026
3.
This is truly one of MAGA’s most painfully stupid talking points. https://t.co/zjwx6fXRRz
— Monkey Chunk (@ChunkMonkeys) May 13, 2026
4.
It’s wild that Republicans will outright pretend they don’t know anything about the world or how it works just to please a 79-year-old man who sundowns during every public appearance https://t.co/UBgBSuultE
— Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) May 13, 2026
5.
I know Burgum is not this dumb … but he certainly thinks the maga base is. Wow.
— denise friday (@19friday) May 13, 2026
6.
— Dismayed Idaho Agoraphobe (@IdahoSpud2025) May 13, 2026
7.
In his own words https://t.co/Li7dptYmGL
— Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) May 13, 2026
8.
Burgum is purposely playing dumb and quoting Trump’s idiotic claims because he’s terrified of pissing off dear leader.
It’s disgusting how grown men are willing to humiliate themselves just to remain Trump’s good graces. https://t.co/WlwoOGuthL
— Polly Sigh (@dcpoll) May 13, 2026