In February 2019, I remember seeing an NPR headline that read Trump’s Trips to Florida Cost Taxpayers Millions, describing how President Trump’s trips to Mar-a-Lago to golf cost about $3.4 million each. The article analyzes how the primary cost of the trips to his resort on the Gulf Coast goes to operating Air Force One — the aircraft the President of the United States uses to travel. While the article discusses the financial cost of flying on Air Force One, it made me think about the substantial environmental cost of operating such a large aircraft as well. The combination of President Trump’s travels to Mar-a-Lago on Air Force One, his lack of concern about climate change during his presidency, and the recent forest fires in Australia inspired my manipulated image.
I used a picture of Donald Trump golfing as my starting point, courtesy of photographer Andy Buchanan of Getty Images. To tie in my inspiration from the NPR article, Air Force One is conveniently parked on the putting green in the background. In the hills behind the golf course, I manipulated the image to make it look there was a forest fire as a result of the pollution from Air Force One. President Trump, complacent about the environmental impacts of the his personal travels, continues golfing like nothing is wrong.
Overall, the manipulated image serves as a commentary on President Trump’s lack of regard towards the environment, and specifically climate change-induced disasters. While Australia was suffering from major fires a few months ago as a result of climate change, President Trump still enjoyed personal travels that contributed to global warming.
Bon Dia Barcelona 