Vice President Kamala Harris made a verbal slip-up during a speech about green energy on Friday, accidentally saying that the United States needs to “reduce population” in order to combat climate change.
Harris was speaking at Coppin State University in Baltimore, Maryland, where she was touting President Joe Biden’s “ambitious goal” of reducing America’s greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and having the U.S. economy reach net zero emissions by no later than 2050.
Harris argued that the “climate crisis” is “one of the most urgent matters of our time,” adding that we “must act” because “it is clear that the clock is not only ticking, it is banging.”
In her speech, Harris said, “When we invest in clean energy and electric vehicles and reduce population, more of our children can breathe clean air and drink clean water.”
It is unclear whether Harris meant to say “reduce population” or “reduce pollution.” However, the slip-up drew immediate attention on social media, with some people accusing Harris of advocating for eugenics or population control.
The White House later clarified that Harris meant to say “reduce pollution,” and that she misspoke. Harris herself apologized for the error, saying that she was “deeply sorry” for any confusion she may have caused.