BREAKING: President Donald Trump is under fire after seemingly mistaking a bald eagle for a falcon in a controversial social media post. The incident occurred on December 30, when Trump shared an image on Truth Social, claiming, “Windmills are killing all of our beautiful Bald Eagles!” The post featured a dead bird in front of a windmill, but the image was actually taken in Israel in 2017 and depicts a falcon, not an eagle.
Social media exploded with mockery, including a pointed comment from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who tweeted, “Dozy Don doesn’t know what America’s bird looks like???” As reactions poured in, the U.S. Department of Energy and the White House’s Rapid Response account also shared the post, prompting widespread criticism.
The misleading image is linked to an article from Haaretz, which discussed the impact of wind turbines on wildlife. A community note on X clarified that the photo shows a dead falcon, likely a kestrel, and includes Hebrew text on the wind turbine. Critics quickly pointed out the discrepancies, with one user commenting, “Is this windmill in Israel? Wtf is going on??”
This incident is particularly notable as Trump has long criticized wind energy, claiming it poses a threat to birds, specifically bald eagles. At a 2019 Turning Point USA conference, he stated, “A windmill will kill many bald eagles.” Most recently, at a 2023 rally in South Carolina, he claimed that windmills were responsible for killing thousands of eagles, a statement that has been fact-checked and deemed false by multiple sources.
A study from New Mexico State University revealed that eagle deaths due to turbine collisions have more than doubled from 110 in 2013 to 270 in 2024. In a significant legal case, ESI Energy Inc. was fined over $8 million for violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act after acknowledging the deaths of at least 150 bald and golden eagles at their wind energy facilities since 2012.
As the backlash continues, the future of wind energy projects in the U.S. remains uncertain. In December, the Department of the Interior paused all offshore wind project leases, but a federal judge recently overturned Trump’s executive order aimed at halting these projects.
This developing story highlights the complex relationship between energy policies and wildlife conservation, and the reactions from public figures underscore the ongoing debate around renewable energy in America.
What happens next? Will Trump’s critics capitalize on this blunder, or will it fade from the headlines? Stay tuned for further updates as this situation unfolds.
