In a post to his app Truth Social Thursday, Trump posted a photo that appears to show what he might be asked and how he's poised to respond.
"Mr. President, I am sure that a climate question will come up during your debate this week and I suggest the following talking points," the screengrab reads, attributing the question to Andrew Wheeler, former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator.
The screenshot apparently includes Trump's talking point.
"Under my Administration CO2 emissions went down, and at the same time we became more American energy dominant which helps Americans at the gas pump and with their electricity bills."
The former president is then to say, "We can do both. Biden just increased the energy costs for everyone."
After mentioning that Biden rejoined the Paris Climate Accord and claiming the agreement sends American dollars overseas to places like China, Trump is to launch into climate and tariff policies because, "Everyone is buying Chinese solar panels instead of American energy."
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Trump is to reinforce that if re-elected, he would continue to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and focus on domestically produced energy.
Also of note, the screenshot includes a potential rebuttal. Should Biden (or the media, or the CIA or whomever else he feels is attacking him) should push back on the claims, he should point to how Biden is shutting down U.S. energy, "canceling pipelines, stopping federal leases."
"We still need the energy. That means we are importing more energy from countries that aren't our friends. When you transport gas halfway around the world, it means more CO2 emissions."
The screenshot didn't go unnoticed by the Biden camp.
"Donald Trump is just posting his debate talking points.
Thanks, I guess," Ammar Moussa, rapid response director for the Biden campaign, chortled in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Moussa also retweeted Matt Compton, who aptly noted that Wheeler is "the coal lobbyist Trump put in charge of the EPA."
"A highly credible voice on carbon pollution," he wrote.
The internet wasted no time dunking on the perplexing pre-debate move.
"Clearly a mistake. He thought those were nuclear secrets," retorted @WaldoWilbur.
"The reason CO2 went down was because Trump failed to save the coal industry," replied @citizenfisher.
"Already lying and he ain’t even hit the damn debate stage yet," wrote @FactsIsFacts46.
"Notice it is in elementary style writing. A dumbed down version," said @sweetiepeas13.
