Kamala hires 'climate' aide who believes climate change is reason to not have children, promoted gas stove bans

Vice President Kamala Harris’ new “Climate Engagement Director,” Camila Thorndike, has a history of promoting radical climate change proposals, including expressing hesitation about having children due to concerns about the planet's future.

“Hello from official day one at Harris-Walz HQ! It's an honor to help the movements I love elect our future climate champion-in-chief,” Thorndike stated in a post on Linkedin, where she has also described herself as a “climate hype girl for democracy.”

Thorndike, who previously held senior positions at the climate change nonprofit Rewiring America, including Director of Policy Programs, has been vocal about advocating for massive changes to the economy to address climate change. In a 2022 interview with the Washington Post, Thorndike expressed that she is unsure about having children because of fears for their future amid climate change challenges, a belief Harris herself has echoed in the past.

“It’s coming partly from a place of love for my hypothetical child,” Thorndike explained. “I want to protect them from suffering. Not that life is ever free from suffering, but … what of the joys and peace and goodness that make me happiest to be alive will be accessible in 20, 30, 40 years?”

“My perspective has changed so many times over the last 20 years,” she added. “It’s a decision that no one can make for another person. And I allow myself the space for that uncertainty."

Thorndike’s former organization, Rewiring America, has been a strong advocate for initiatives such as banning gas-powered stovetops. According to the Washington Free Beacon, the group’s mission is to "help mobilize America to address climate change and jump-start the economy by electrifying everything." 

The organization has pushed for broad policies to move the US away from fossil fuels and gained attention when it hired Stacey Abrams as Senior Counsel after her loss in the Georgia gubernatorial race. Abrams stated she was pleased to join the group “to share the benefits of electrification and ensure families get their fair share."

Harris' decision to select a climate aide with these beliefs could be seen as contradictory to her recent attempts to soften her stance on certain energy initiatives, such as fracking. While running for president in 2020, Harris emphasized her support for a ban on fracking. However, she has since attempted to backtrack on this position. Meanwhile, under the Biden-Harris administration, gas prices have gone up 50 percent. Harris also walked back the Biden-Harris administration's endeavors to create an EV mandate.