LLNL has achieved positive power output with their experiments. https://www.llnl.gov/article/49301/shot-ages-fusion-ignition-breakthrough-hailed-one-most-impressive-scientific-feats-21st

No fusion reactor today is actually going to generate power in the useful sense.

These are more about understanding how Fusion works so that a reactor that is purpose built to generate power can be developed in the future.

Unlike the movies real development is the culmination of MANY small steps.

Today we are holding reactions for 20 minutes. 20 years ago getting a reaction to self sustain in the first place seemed impossible.

I mean, he is still 980 MILLION dollars away from being a mere billionaire. He is WAAAAAAAAY closer to you and me

In the grand scheme of things; Whether they are making it up or not enough people eat this up at face value for it to do damage

That said, I think most of these people are going for political gain.

I apply the same logic to religious right as well. Trump is the antithesis of nearly every religion’s teachings but I don’t think these religious leaders even believe in their own God.