Trump Mocked for Confusing Bald Eagle with Falcon in Viral Post

UPDATE: President Donald Trump is facing widespread ridicule after a social media post mistakenly identified a falcon as a bald eagle. The post, shared on Truth Social late on December 30, 2023, claimed that “windmills are killing all of our beautiful Bald Eagles,” accompanied by an image of a dead bird in front of a wind turbine.

Social media erupted as users pointed out that the image was not only taken in Israel but depicted a falcon, not an eagle, and dated back to 2017. California Governor Gavin Newsom chimed in, questioning, “Dozy Don doesn’t know what America’s bird looks like???”

This situation is critical as Trump has long been an outspoken critic of wind energy, frequently linking it to the deaths of birds, particularly bald eagles. At a rally in South Carolina earlier this year, he claimed, “If you kill a bald eagle they put you in jail for five years, but the windmills knock out thousands of them, and nothing happens.” However, a Newsweek fact-check has found these assertions to be misleading.

Recent data from New Mexico State University indicates a significant increase in eagle fatalities due to wind turbines, with golden eagle deaths doubling from 110 in 2013 to 270 in 2024. Additionally, wind energy company ESI Energy Inc. faced over $8 million in fines for the deaths of at least 150 bald and golden eagles at their facilities.

The image Trump shared was originally published by Haaretz, illustrating the impact of wind turbines on wildlife. It was later used by the U.S. Department of Energy, which faced backlash for sharing a misleading image. A community note on X clarified that the dead bird depicted was a falcon, likely a kestrel, captured in Israel.

Criticism has flooded in from various corners, with social media users sharing their disbelief. One post from user @shipwreckshow asked, “Is this windmill in Israel? Wtf is going on??” Another user remarked, “Hey Mr. President, not to be that guy but that’s not a bald eagle.”

As this story develops, the future of wind projects in the U.S. remains in limbo. In December, the Department of the Interior announced a pause on all large-scale offshore wind projects, a move that was later challenged by a federal judge in Massachusetts, striking down Trump’s executive order aimed at halting such initiatives.

Stay tuned for updates as this story unfolds. The implications of Trump’s remarks and their impact on public perception of renewable energy are becoming increasingly significant.