President Trump’s feud with wind power, stemming from his opposition to a wind project near his Scotland golf course, continues to shape his perspective on renewable energy. In his recent speech to Turning Point USA students in Florida, his statements opposing wind energy left even conservatives (like us) scratching their heads to find the logic in his arguments.

Starting with an appeal to patriotism, Trump declared that “a windmill will kill many bald eagles” and asked why that was acceptable when, if a civilian killed a bald eagle, it is a felony. This is an outdated, though not unreasonable concern. The mortality rate of birds colliding with the turbine arms was a big concern with wind power in the past. The same wind streams that generate the most potential wind energy are frequently used as migratory routes by many bird species.