Germany fact-checks Trump amid energy policy debate: 'PS: We also don't eat cats and dogs'

Germany is hitting back at former President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about its renewable energy efforts. During Tuesday’s presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump claimed, “Germany tried that [renewable energy], and within one year, they were back to building normal energy plants.”
In response, Germany’s Federal Foreign Office took to X (formerly Twitter) to set the record straight.“Like it or not: Germany's energy system is fully operational, with more than 50% renewables,” the office tweeted. “And we are shutting down – not building – coal & nuclear plants. Coal will be off the grid by 2038 at the latest.”
Germany’s rebuttal didn’t stop there. It took a swipe at another of Trump’s controversial statements from the debate. “PS: We also don't eat cats and dogs,” the tweet added, a reference to Trump’s debunked claim about Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio.
German State Minister Anna Lührmann defended the response, emphasizing the importance of countering misinformation. “Contradiction with facts and humor — that is the right answer to disinformation,” she said. “As democrats, we can no longer allow ourselves to leave false statements uncommented.”
Trump’s comments came amid ongoing debates about energy policies and climate change. He also asserted that a Harris presidency would lead to the end of fracking in Pennsylvania, declaring, “Fossil fuel will be dead.”
Harris, who has supported climate-friendly policies as a former senator, clarified her current stance. “I have not banned fracking as vice president,” she told Trump. “My position is that we have got to invest in diverse sources of energy so we reduce our reliance on foreign oil.”
The debate over energy policies has intensified as global energy markets shift. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Germany has faced surging energy costs and is actively seeking alternatives. Last year, the U.S. exported over 200 million cubic feet of liquid natural gas to Germany, helping to offset the 30% decline in Russian gas imports.
Germany's transition to renewable energy continues, with plans to phase out coal by 2038 and invest in new opportunities for former coal regions. The country recently shut down its last three nuclear power plants and aims to achieve a majority of its energy consumption from renewables by 2050.
Trump’s previous criticisms of Germany’s energy policies included his 2019 sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a project heavily funded by Russia. Although the sanctions were later waived, the pipeline was sabotaged in September 2022. German authorities have since issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian national linked to the attack.
In the debate, Trump also criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, claiming it reflects weak and ineffective foreign policy.