Trump's Criticism Of Wind Turbines Gets Retort From Palm Springs

PALM SPRINGS, CA — Palm Springs Mayor Geoff Kors Friday fired back at President Donald Trump's recent comments at a campaign rally in Colorado, where he blasted Palm Springs' windmills, saying they "look like hell."

Kors responded by praising the city's quest to achieve 100 percent carbon-free energy in the face of climate change, and called the windmills that dot Interstate 10 "especially beautiful."

"It is unfortunate that, at this critical time in our history, we have a president who lies about and denigrates clean green power while embracing and promoting dirty power such as coal and offshore oil drilling, which is destroying our planet," Kors said in a statement.

Trump was discussing U.S. energy independence while stumping Thursday at a campaign rally in Colorado Springs. He accused windmills of killing birds and bald eagles, and being an eyesore.

"They are all over the place. They are closed. They are rotting. They look like hell," he said.

Trump's comments came a day after he made a three-hour visit to the Coachella Valley Wednesday for a high-dollar private fundraiser at the Rancho Mirage estate of Oracle chairman Larry Ellison.

Donors had the chance to snap pictures and attend a roundtable discussion with Trump for a $250,000 donation. A lower tier of $100,000 included golf on Ellison's private Porcupine Creek Golf Course and a presidential photo opportunity.

The president's comments echoed similar sentiments he made in the past. While campaigning for the presidency in 2016, Trump said during a segment on Herman Cain's radio show that windmills north of Palm Springs look like a "junkyard" and was "the worst thing you've ever seen," The Desert Sun reported.