Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday called on the US to “reduce population”
in an effort to combat climate change, but she meant to say “reduce pollution,” according to the White House.
The shocking gaffe happened as the 58-year-old vice president delivered remarks at Coppin State University in Baltimore, Md., on the need to build a “clean energy economy.”
“When we invest in clean energy and electric vehicles and reduce population, more of our children can breathe clean air and drink clean water,” Harris said, eliciting applause from the audience.
The official White House transcript of her speech acknowledges and corrects Harris’ disquieting error.
In the transcript, “population” is crossed out and “pollution” is added in brackets to denote what the VP intended to say.
WH.GOV
When we invest in clean energy and electric vehicles and reduce population [pollution], more of our children can breathe clean air and drink
clean water. (Applause.)
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