“Stop complaining” was the message from U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright to Europe as an extreme heatwave sweeps across the continent, claiming dozens of lives. Over the past 24 hours, much of Western Europe has been sweltering, with temperatures exceeding 35°C in numerous countries.
A Controversial Claim Amid Record Heat
According to Politico, Wright appears to dismiss the reality of climate change and downplays the severity of the current deadly heatwave — even as European governments issue urgent warnings that record-breaking temperatures this week pose a direct threat to human life. His remarks echo those made during the 2022 heatwave, which killed more than 60,000 people across the continent.
“Cold Is a Bigger Killer Than Heat”
Speaking on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference — a gathering of influential conservative figures, many of whom question established climate science — Wright stated: “Far more people die in winter than in summer because cold is a far deadlier killer than heat.”
He cited winter 2022 in Europe, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggered soaring energy prices and widespread heating shortages, calling the resulting mortality impact “catastrophic.” His comments come amid growing concern over rising temperatures and limited infrastructure — such as air conditioning — across much of Europe, a region warming twice as fast as the global average.
Context and Critics
The conference featured prominent attendees including Nigel Farage, leader of the UK’s Reform Party, and Steve Koonin — selected by Wright to co-author a controversial U.S. government report that misrepresented mainstream climate science. House Speaker Mike Johnson also delivered a video address to the same audience, which included former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Bayer CEO Bill Anderson.
Wright has previously emphasized cold-related mortality over heat-related deaths. Indeed, cold-related deaths currently outnumber heat-related ones in Europe by roughly 8 to 1. Yet experts warn that heat poses an acute and escalating threat — especially as climate change intensifies and prolongs deadly heatwaves. Over the past decade, tens of thousands have died from heat across Europe.
In contrast, in the United States, heat is already the leading weather-related cause of death — surpassing cold. As June temperatures soar in London and elsewhere, schools have closed, transport systems have faltered, and power grids have strained under the strain.