Fur flies as Germany hits back at Trump over energy, pets

Germany hit back on Wednesday at claims made by US presidential candidate Donald Trump over the country's energy network -- and also mocked his baseless claim that immigrants are eating Americans' pets.

At the end of Trump's keenly-watched debate with his Democratic rival Kamala Harris on Tuesday, he attacked what he called her refusal to use fracking and fossil fuels.

"Germany tried that and within one year they were back to building normal energy plants," Trump said.

The German foreign ministry responded on X: "Like it or not: Germany's energy system is fully operational, with more than 50 per cent renewables".

The ministry, in the post on its English-language account, reminded Trump that "we are shutting down — not building — coal & nuclear plants" and that Germany was aiming for coal to "be off the grid by 2038 at the latest".

The German government was criticised by climate activists for the temporary reopening of coal-fired power stations in 2022 and increased imports of liquefied natural gas after Russia slashed energy supplies following its invasion of Ukraine.

Since then Berlin has managed to pare back the use of fossil fuels.

In the first half of this year the share of renewables in electricity generation stood at 61 per cent, while coal accounted for just 23 per cent.

At a press conference on Wednesday a government spokesman said that "we took note of (Trump's comments) with some surprise," adding: "I didn't know what the presidential candidate meant with this."

The foreign ministry also took the opportunity to make light of Trump's baseless assertion that immigrants are stealing and eating cats.

"PS: We also don't eat cats and dogs," the foreign ministry said at the end off the X post.