Trump blasts Kerry's climate activism for 'destroying our country' in Iowa town hall: 'He has to be stopped'
Trump addressed an audience in Iowa on Fox News on Tuesday night
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former President Donald Trump blasted U.S. Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry in a Fox News town hall event for his climate activism and told the audience that the former Democratic presidential candidate "has to be stopped."
"I see John Kerry all over the place talking about [how] we have to get rid of our coal plants," Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity.
"And yet China is building one coal plant a week, massive coal plants, and they're doing it just automatically. And John Kerry wants us to stop doing anything we can. We have a country, we have to fire up our factories. Wind is not going to fire up our factories."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Moments later, when discussing American energy independence, Trump said, "Our country can be rich again. John Kerry has to be stopped. He's destroying our country."
BIDEN ADMIN UNDER FIRE FOR BURNING TAXPAYER FUNDS ON UN CLIMATE SUMMIT TRIP
Donald Trump and John Kerry (Getty Images)
"This guy, I mean, think of it," Trump continued. "He goes all over the world in a private jet, by the way. He goes all over the world talking to these people about getting rid of coal plants. They all laugh at him. They, you know, treat him with respect. He's gone. They say, what an idiot. What a jerk. And then they go ahead and they build their coal plants."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kerry has been widely criticized by conservatives for using a private jet while railing against the effects of climate change.
Former President Donald Trump (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Additionally, Kerry has been slammed by conservatives for several controversial comments related to how he would like the United States to address climate change including a recent statement where he called for a halt in new coal power plant production.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The first step is to stop making the problem worse: stop building new unabated coal power plants," Kerry said at a climate change summit in Dubai.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
US Climate Envoy John Kerry (FLORENCE LO / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
Kerry has also previously dismissed concerns that tens of thousands of coal workers in America could lose their jobs if his policies are carried out describing that notion as a "false narrative."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}At the same conference in Dubai, Kerry pledged to slash emissions from AC units, refrigerators to fight climate change.
Fox News Digital reached out to Kerry's office for comment but did not immediately receive a response.