James Inhofe, a prominent Oklahoma Republican and a stalwart of the ideological right in the U.S. Congress, has passed away at the age of 89. His career was characterized by his opposition to environmental regulations and his ardent support of American military might. He famously dismissed climate change science as a hoax. The Tulsa World reported his death, citing sources close to his family. Details regarding services are still pending, the report said.
Inhofe was also an enthusiastic aviator, and in 1991, he notably flew around the world following the route that aviation pioneer Wiley Post had taken six decades earlier. Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., described Inhofe on Tuesday as a “dear friend and mentor, a titan in Oklahoma, and a highly effective leader in D.C.
Before his long tenure in the U.S. Senate, James Inhofe served as the mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma’s second-largest city, and then spent eight years in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was elected to the Senate in 1994 and became the longest-serving and oldest senator from Oklahoma. Inhofe retired in 2023 at the age of 88, citing the long-term effects of COVID-19 as his reason for stepping down.
Inhofe was known as one of the most conservative senators, often using caustic language against his political and ideological opponents. As chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, he was a leading voice for Republicans on climate change issues. In a radio interview to promote his 2012 book “The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future,” Inhofe, a conservative Christian, explained his views on climate change in religious terms.
My point is, God’s still up there,” Inhofe said. The arrogance of people to think that we, human beings, would be able to change what He is doing in the climate is, to me, outrageous.
Inhofe, who served as the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was a staunch advocate for maintaining a strong American military presence globally and supported robust defense spending. He notably broke with a president from his own party, Donald Trump, by pushing through the annual defense policy bill in 2020, showcasing his commitment to defense issues regardless of political alignment.
