Recently, California Governor Gavin Newsom was invited to speak at a climate summit at the Vatican. The governor was to give a 10-minute speech during the summit. 

When Newsom was speaking, he made some comments about the former president of the US, Donald Trump. In his speech, he speaks about the corrupt force of oil companies and how Trump denies science and overturns climate policies. 

During the governor’s speech, he speaks about oil companies. He accused oil companies in America of deceiving the public about the issue of climate change. 

Newsom asked for forgiveness if his speech came off a little harsh. He highlighted how fossil fuel companies are causing the polluted heart of the climate crisis. He said they’ve been lying to the public because they’ve known science but chose to delay advancement. 

The governor of California openly called out the former president in his speech. He accused him of “open corruption.” He spoke of how Trump had a meeting with some oil executives requesting $1 billion to roll back environmental progress.

In a recent meeting with Oil executives, Newsom said former President Donald Trump asked for $1 billion to undo the environmental progress made by the Biden administration. 

As Gavin Newson mentioned, Trump’s meeting with the oil executives was held at Mar-a-Lago. It was a private dinner meeting. 

According to the Washington Post in April, the former president was accused of asking for a $1 billion contribution to dismantle Joe Biden’s administration climate policies. 

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Regarding Trump’s meeting with some oil executives, a voting survey was conducted on May 20, 2024, and it was discovered that 6 of 10 reconsidered voting for Trump for a second term. 

This resulted from the news they heard about Trump’s meeting with the oil executives and his request during the meeting. About 61% of the people surveyed by Data for Progress said they were concerned about voting for Trump after making such an offer. 

In an effort by the former president to increase funds for his campaign, Trump organized a meeting with the oil executives. Trump organized this meeting to raise funds faster than Joe Biden’s campaign. 

After the meeting, Trump’s campaign announced improved fundraising numbers for the first time in 2024. Nevertheless, Biden’s campaign fundraising still leads. 

During Governor Newsom’s speech at the summit, he ranked California first in terms of actions taken against oil companies and boasted about California’s achievements in the economy and environmental issues. 

In his words, he said California has exceeded its nation-leading environmental goals. He also speaks of California as the fifth-largest economy. 

POLL—Should the Government Increase Taxes on the Wealthy To Reduce Economic Inequality?

California governor Newsom was invited to the summit in the Vatican by Pope Francis as part of the Catholic Church’s effort on climate change. 

Sometime in 2019, Pope Francis addressed the issue of climate change and how it’s an “ecological sin.” The pope stated that sin is reflected in the acts and habits of pollution. 

Being a Catholic, Newsom bases his beliefs on “the Spirit of St. Francis,” which he claims entails doing good deeds without always adhering to church dogma.

The summit, held on May 16, 2024, saw the governor and the pope exchange pleasantries. Pope Francis commended Newsom’s efforts to make it to the summit and also commended his good work in California. 

Many other dignitaries attended the summit in the Vatican. Other political speakers included New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. 

Interestingly, considering that American Catholics tend to lean slightly Republican, each of these governors represents a blue state overall.

Gavin Newsom stands to gain more from his association with Pope Francis. Political professor David Campbell shared his opinion about the governor and pope association and how it will advantageously benefit Newsom. Campbell said the governor’s relationship with the pope will favor him because the pope possesses wider appeal and influence. 

By relating with the pope, Newsom can leverage the opportunity to emphasize an issue that resonates with the left. This relationship with the pope can also help him maintain support from religious individuals within the Democratic coalition, avoiding any potential alienation.

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Although religion is being used as a justification for climate change, Professor Campbell doubts that this will convince many Catholic conservatives of the need for action.

Campbell explains that, according to research, people put politics ahead of religion. However, this can lead to changes; in US politics, it’s usually about margin. 

It is important to ask how Newsom has tackled climate change in recent years. Reports indicate that the governor has taken different measures. One of them is implementing policies that will empower renewable energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promote a clean energy economy. 

Also, the governor has made plans for California regarding climate change issues. He has set goals for achieving a 100% clean energy economy by 2045. He has taken different approaches and shown that he recognizes the urgency of the issues and how to tackle them. 

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