Rumors That Joe Biden Is Banning Your Gas Stove Are Greatly Exaggerated

Over the past 48 hours, many social media users and some conservative politicians and commentators have been loudly declaring that they'll never let President Joe Biden get his mitts on their gas stoves, and in some cases have stopped just short of saying they'll leave their gas stoves running just to spite him.

So how exactly did a gravely misrepresented report lead to a wild rumor that the Biden administration and the U.S. government want to ban gas stoves in America? Let's explain.

I’ll NEVER give up my gas stove. If the maniacs in the White House come for my stove, they can pry it from my cold dead hands. COME AND TAKE IT!!

— Ronny Jackson (@RonnyJacksonTX) January 10, 2023

Here's how we got here: On Monday, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. said in an interview that gas stoves, which are used in 40 percent of U.S. homes, are a "hidden hazard" on account of the air pollutants they release that can cause health problems.

According to Bloomberg, "Natural gas stoves … emit air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and fine particulate matter at levels the EPA and World Health Organization have said are unsafe and linked to respiratory illness, cardiovascular problems, cancer, and other health conditions."

There has been some governmental push to address this issue. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey and Representative Don Beyer of Virginia have urged the USCPSC to look into gas stoves, suggesting it "consider requiring warning labels, range hoods and performance standards" for the common household appliance.

In Bloomberg's article, Trumka said, "Any option is on the table. Products that can’t be made safe can be banned." Bloomberg then made its headline, "US Safety Agency to Consider Ban on Gas Stoves Amid Health Fears," and that led to some commenters declaring they were ready to die for their gas stoves.

All this stuff about getting rid of gas stoves is not coming out of nowhere. It's not meddling lefties worried about global warming. There's a rapidly accumulating body of science showing direct health harms, especially to the most vulnerable. It's a seat-belts-in-cars thing. https://t.co/5M1odFhLhA

— David Roberts (@drvolts) January 11, 2023

In protest of the suggested ban on gas stoves, I’m staying taped to this stove forever. pic.twitter.com/mytHWml7rl

— Chef Andrew Gruel (@ChefGruel) January 9, 2023

"Oh, you want to ban gas stoves? What about these pictures of Democrats using a gas stove, I suppose that changes things, right? What do you mean it doesn't? Gas stoves still cause asthma? You sure? So I spent the last 8 hours finding these pictures for nothing?" -- Libs of TikTok pic.twitter.com/IkM9vmdei3

— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) January 11, 2023

I will be keeping my gas stove thanks pic.twitter.com/4hcX7h0bUE

— 🏴🏴‍☠️🅰️narchyDreams™️🏴‍☠️🏴 (@mearmalite10) January 10, 2023

For closer readers, the interpretation of Trumka's comment that "any option is on the table" regarding gas stoves to mean that "Joe Biden wants to nuke your gas stove from existence" (to paraphrase) seemed ridiculous.

"biden wants to ban your gas stove" making a real challenge to "aoc wants to ban hamburgers" for right wing freakout status. theyre always freaking out about some bullshit. its always bullshit, and has been for the last 60+ years. its never anything real, ever.

— Oliver Willis (@owillis) January 11, 2023

Their feelings were then affirmed when the CPSC followed up with a statement given to Snopes that declared that Trumka's comment does not reflect the view of the whole agency, and furthermore:

CPSC has not proposed any regulatory action on gas stoves at this time. Any regulatory action by the Commission would involve a lengthy process. Agency staff plans to start gathering data and perspectives from the public on potential hazards associated with gas stoves, and proposed solutions to those hazards later this year. Commission staff also continues to work with voluntary standards organizations to examine gas stove emissions and address potential hazards.

Additionally, CPSC chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric released a public statement this morning assuring the masses that he was not considering a ban on gas stoves. In it, he directly stated, "To be clear, I am not looking to ban gas stoves and the CPSC has no proceeding to do so."

BREAKING: The chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission says the agency has no plans to ban gas stoves after commissioner Richard Trumka’s remarks ignited a political firestorm. pic.twitter.com/t18eRDlSdg

— Ari Natter (@AriNatter) January 11, 2023

So, no, the U.S. government is not coming to forcibly remove gas stoves from American homes, despite what the histrionics of some media outlets and internet users or even recent memes would have you believe.

But at the very least, if you weren't aware that gas stoves can cause health problems, now you do, and it may be worth looking into ways to properly vent your home when cooking if you want to avoid any medical problems.

a gas stove ban could be sooooo bad for girls like me pic.twitter.com/SGi4rRfEAH

— ce n'est pas erica (@sourhoestarter) January 11, 2023