Trump On Climate Accord: 'I Was Elected To Represent The Citizens Of Pittsburgh, Not Paris'

WASHINGTON, DC — Breaking from a historic agreement joined by his predecessor, President Trump announced the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord Thursday. In a Rose Garden address, Trump confirmed multiple reports his intention to pull the United States out of the voluntary agreement meant to reduce global carbon emissions, as he had promised in the run-up to the 2016 election. But he also said he would begin new negotiations to either re-enter the agreement or create an entirely new deal that he believes would be more fair to the American people.

"One by one we are keeping the promise I made to the people during our campaign," Trump said. "The Paris Climate Accord is simply the latest example of Washington entering into an agreement that disadvantages the U.S." (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch for daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

The Associated Press reported that France, Germany and Italy issued a joint statement saying that the Paris accord could not be renegotiated.

He called the agreement both "non-binding" and "draconian." He blasted the deal for not doing enough to restrain emissions in China and India and because he believes it will hurt economic growth in the United States going forward. Nevertheless, he said he cares deeply about the environment and that the U.S. will be "the cleanest" country going forward, with the cleanest air and the cleanest water.

"I cannot in good conscience support a deal that punishes the United States," he said. "I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris."

Bill Peduto, the mayor of Pittsburgh, noted on Twitter that Hillary Clinton won the city by about 80 percent. He also said that his city "will follow the guidelines of the Paris Agreement for our people, our economy & future."

Trump also expressed his sadness about the recent violence in Manila, though he called it terrorist attack despite the police not confirming it as such.

The decision by the United States to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change is a major disappointment for global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote global security," a spokesman for the United Nations secretary general said. "The Paris Agreement was adopted by all the world’s nations in 2015 because they recognize the immense harm that climate change is already causing and the enormous opportunity that climate action presents. It offers a meaningful yet flexible framework for action by all countries."

President Obama sent out a press release during the speech defending the agreement he helped lead while also optimistically predicting that America can still make great strides in fighting climate change despite Trump's actions.

"A year and a half ago, the world came together in Paris around the first-ever global agreement to set the world on a low-carbon course and protect the world we leave to our children," Obama said. "It was steady, principled American leadership on the world stage that made that achievement possible. It was bold American ambition that encouraged dozens of other nations to set their sights higher as well."

He continued: "Even in the absence of American leadership; even as this Administration joins a small handful of nations that reject the future; I’m confident that our states, cities, and businesses will step up and do even more to lead the way, and help protect for future generations the one planet we’ve got."

But it wasn't only Democrats who were disappointed by the president's decision.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine tweeted: "Climate change requires a global approach. I'm disappointed in the President's decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement."

Asked Wednesday by a reporter whether he had been hearing advice from CEOs about the climate deal, Trump said, "I’m hearing from a lot of people, both ways. Both ways." He did not say whether he still believes climate change is a hoax, as he has previously stated. Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, is among the CEOs who has publicly said he encouraged the president to support the climate deal.

The agreement is designed to limit global carbon emissions through voluntary commitments to reduce the impact of climate change, and it has been signed by nearly every country in the world. The United States now joins Nicaragua and Syria as the only dissenters. According to the Associated Press, both China and the European Union have pledged to stick by the agreement regardless of Trump's decision.

Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said on CNN of the president, "If I were him, I would stay in the agreement and make it a better deal for worldwide business interests." Asked what pulling out would mean, Graham said, "It means that the leader of the Republican Party is in a different spot than the rest of the world. It would be taken as a statement that climate change is not a problem, not real. That would be bad for the party, bad for the country."

After the announcement, however, Graham tweeted: "I support President Trump’s desire to re-enter the Paris Accord after the agreement becomes a better deal for America and business."

Trump has repeatedly said that his main focus is on whether the Paris climate agreement is a "good deal" for the U.S. Republicans have typically been skeptical about the reality and impact of climate change, despite the widespread scientific consensus on the reality of the issue, and they usually argue that efforts to mitigate the problem would be too costly for the economy. However, since the climate deal's commitments are entirely voluntary and include no punishments for failing to meet its goals, proponents say there is little downside for Americans to remain as a part of the agreement.

Watch a live stream of the announcement here.

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