If you ever happen to be in a city where the last available hotel room is unfortunately located in a space with a big gold “T” attached, think twice, then think about sleeping in your car. Because as Newsweek reports, Donald Trump doesn’t believe that asbestos is a real problem.
In his 1997 book, The Art of the Comeback, Trump argued that the association of the chemical with health risks was part of a mob-created conspiracy. “I believe that the movement against asbestos was led by the mob, because it was often mob-related companies that would do the asbestos removal. Great pressure was put on politicians, and as usual, the politicians relented,” he wrote.
The 60,000 Americans diagnosed each year with mesothelioma will be happy to learn that they don’t have a real disease. Just a mob conspiracy. And maybe Trump is counting on asbestos to protect his buildings, since he also doesn’t seem to believe in smoke detectors.
Trump’s asbestos doubts would certainly rate as a reason to make packing a face mask a requisite for any event held in a Trump-related facility. But just steering clear of Trump’s personal cancer-dromes isn’t going to be enough. Because he’s putting his mob-theory in practice.
The Environmental Protection Agency will not consider the health risks and impacts of asbestos already in the environment when evaluating the dangers associated with the chemical compound, Scott Pruitt, the agency's head, quietly announced last week. That means asbestos used in tiles, piping and adhesives throughout homes and businesses in the United States will remain largely unchecked and unaccounted for.
Where Trump got his ideas about asbestos isn’t clear. Perhaps one of his health advisers pulled it out of his horoscope. But what is clear is that Trump intends to share his theory with America—even if it kills them.