Reuters/Joshua Roberts
Trump: U.S. Will Withdraw from Paris Climate Accord
by MICHELLE MOONS
Breitbart.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump announced from the White House Rose Garden on Thursday afternoon that the United States will withdraw from the 2015 Paris Climate Accord.
The President had informed reporters on Wednesday that an announcement was coming soon regarding the accord. In response to questions as to whether he was hearing from CEOs attempting to persuade him, Trump replied, “I’m hearing from a lot of people, both ways. Both ways.” Later that night he confirmed in a tweet that he would hold an event at 3:00 p.m. Thursday to make the announcement.
Vice President Pence opened the program stating several campaign promises that President Trump made and has kept thus far. “Thanks to president Trump, America is back,” said Pence. Our President is putting American jobs first, he added, “Putting the forgotten men and women of America first.”
“The United States will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord,” announced Trump from a podium in the Rose Garden, citing fulfillment of his duty as President. He added that they will however “begin negotiations to reenter either the Paris accord or an entirely new transaction.”
“We’re getting out, but we will start to negotiate” and we will work on a deal that’s fair, said Trump.
Leaving the Paris Climate agreement was a key part of Trump’s message as he campaigned for the presidency last year.
Former President Barack Obama unofficially entered the United States into the accord, which was adopted in December 2015 as the United Nations Climate Change Conference came to a close.
During Trump’s recent attendance at the G7 summit in Italy, some of the other G7 leaders pressured Trump to ratify the Paris Climate Accord; however, he declined to do so. Last Friday White House economic advisor Gary Cohn characterized the President’s position on climate change as “evolving,” though it was not clear in what way.
In early March AFP reported that the Trump team was divided over whether the U.S. should remain in or exit the climate agreement.
Last week reports began surfacing that Trump would remove the U.S. from the Paris Accord. Meanwhile Trump announced that he would make a final decision on the matter in the coming week.
Spotted in the audience at Trump’s Paris Climate announcement were Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, U.S. National Security Advisor Gen. H.R. McMaster, White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, and Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Also spotted was President and Founder of Americans for Tax Reform Grover Nordquist.