DES MOINES (AP) — An Iowa Republican senator expressed irritation Wednesday at what he called “idiotic” comments by President Donald Trump about wind energy.
Trump, at the National Republican Congressional Committee’s annual spring dinner Tuesday night, said noise from wind turbines causes cancer.
Sen. Chuck Grassley told reporters that the comments “were first of all idiotic and it doesn’t show much respect for Chuck Grassley as the grandfather of the wind energy tax credit.”
Grassley was instrumental in approving a federal tax credit 26 years ago that has spurred wind energy development.
Iowa is a national leader in wind energy, with more than 4,000 turbines.
Asked about Trump’s claim, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds declined to say the president was wrong, saying it was not her place to do so.
”You know how those things change. One year coffee is good for you and the next year coffee causes cancer,” she said. “That’s what happens. We’ve got a lot of people that are driving the industry and investing in the industry and we should be proud of our position.”
She noted Iowa generates 40 percent of its electricity from wind.
