WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump has called windmills "horrible" and said they "kill the birds" after he signed an executive order pausing wind energy projects.

"Natural gas is clean and it's powerful. You need power, and it's consistent, not like wind," Trump said during an interview with Fox News this week.

"The wind blows, and then it doesn't blow. And the things cost a fortune. They're made in China, and they kill the birds, and they're horrible," said the president.

He said that wind turbines have adverse impacts on property values.

"We don't want windmills in this country. If you have a house and your vision of a windmill, your house is worth half. It's a disaster, and nobody wants them," he said, calling wind energy "the most expensive energy of any kind."

The executive order, signed earlier this week by Trump, halts the expansion of wind energy projects nationwide, sparking criticism from environmental advocates.​​​​​​​