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Trump jokes about electric tanks blasting countries in an environmentally friendly way

During a campaign event in Houston, Trump made a punchline out of an energy efficient U.S. military

Senior Culture Editor

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Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at Trendsetter Engineering, Inc. in Houston, Texas, on November 2, 2023. (MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images)
Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at Trendsetter Engineering, Inc. in Houston, Texas, on November 2, 2023. (MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images)

During a campaign event at Trendsetter Engineering, Inc. in Houston, Texas on Thursday, Donald Trump seemed to think it was hilarious that there's been a push for electric military tanks and boats. A horror — in his eyes, apparently — that he pins on Biden.

"With your vote, we will fire crooked Joe Biden. And we will reclaim America's destiny as the greatest energy superpower on the face of the Earth," Trump said to a cheering crowd. "Perhaps worst of all, Biden's insane. Mandates on so much. Including mandates on this [pantomimes giving himself a shot in the arm]. There's a move on now . . . all boats have to go electric. Army tanks have to go electric." To this, someone let out a furious-sounding noise.

"You know, we make the greatest tanks in the world. Army tanks. Because the tanks, if they're electric, you go into a country blasting the hell out of it, but at least we're doing it in an environmentally friendly way."

From here, he went into a bit about an electric tank needing to tow a battery source larger than the tank itself, which he called "really a problem." 

By Kelly McClure

Kelly McClure is Salon's Senior Culture Editor, where she helps further coverage of TV, film, music, books and culture trends from a unique and thoughtful angle. Her work has also appeared in Vulture, Vanity Fair, Vice and many other outlets that don't start with the letter V. She is the author of one sad book called "Something Is Always Happening Somewhere." Follow her on Bluesky: @WolfieVibes

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