Renown British physicist Stephen Hawking fears he may not be welcome in the U.S. under President Trump, who he said is leading America’s “definite swing to a right-wing, more authoritarian approach.”
“I have many friends and colleagues there and it is still a place I like and admire in many ways, but I fear that I may not be welcome,” Hawking said in an interview with the British program Good Morning Britain.
Hawking has been critical of Trump in the past. During the 2016 election, the Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient called Trump a “demagogue who seems to appeal to the lowest common denominator.”
Now, Hawking is urging the President to take climate change seriously. “He should replace Scott Pruitt at the Environment Protection Agency,” Hawking said. “Climate change is one of the great dangers we face, and it’s one we can prevent. It affects America badly, so tackling it should win votes for his second term. God forbid.”
Watch the full interview at ITV.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Biden Dropped Out
- Ukraine’s Plan to Survive Trump
- The Rise of a New Kind of Parenting Guru
- The Chaos and Commotion of the RNC in Photos
- Why We All Have a Stake in Twisters’ Success
- 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Get Our Paris Olympics Newsletter in Your Inbox
Contact us at letters@time.com