Kellyanne Conway, counselor to President Donald Trump, chastised CNN host Chris Cuomo on Wednesday night for asking about climate change as rescue operations continue in Texas for the victims of Hurricane Harvey.
During a confrontational interview about Trump's response to the hurricane thus far, Cuomo said he wanted to move onto "something else" and talk about whether storms like Harvey "open up a discussion about the role of climate change."
"Chris, we're trying to help people whose lives are literally under water and you want to have a conversation about climate change," Conway responded, refusing to address the question.
"I mean, that is, I'm not even going to engage in that right now because I work for a president and vice president and a country that is very focused on helping the millions of affected Texans, and, God forbid, Louisianans if it ends up making landfall there," Conway said.
Cuomo pressed the issue.
"Imagine if we could find ways to reduce the number of these storms," Cuomo said. "Imagine if we could figure out why a hundred-year storm seems to happen every other year."
"So you're going to play climatologist tonight?" Conway asked.
"Here's the deal," Conway continued. "You play amateur climatologist tonight and I will play professional helper to those in need, and continue in my job here as counselor to the president, to help listen to the Cabinet members, the president, the vice president, FEMA, DHS, and others, General Kelly, who could not be a better chief of staff equipped for a matter like Harvey since he was at DHS and is accustomed to large-scale operations as such."
Conway listed ways in which the Trump administration plans to deal with the devastation of Hurricane Harvey and discussed how the federal government will assist in relief efforts, rather than engage in a conversation on climate change.
Cuomo said that he was glad they were doing so much to help, but said one can do that while discussing climate change.
"At some point, [why storms happen] can be part of the conversation," Cuomo said. "I asked about it, you gave an answer, we'll move on."
Conway said that she would be willing to come back on air at a different time to discuss climate change, but made it clear she did not believe this was the time for that discussion.
In the past, Trump has expressed his doubt about climate change and has rolled back many Obama-era policies that addressed the issue directly, the Hill noted.
Harvey has claimed the lives of at least 38 people thus far, according to the New York Times.