President Donald Trump will not pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement, reports Emere Peker of the Wall Street Journal.
After proudly proclaiming to the world that he represents the people of "Pittsburgh, not Paris” earlier this June, President Donald Trump is choosing to renege on this promise and re-enter the international climate change deal.
President Trump previously had said he would be open to “renegotiations” or crafting a new deal completely. However, after a meeting compiled of 30 world leaders from China as well as U.S. allies from the European Union and Canada, he may scrap that idea completely.
According to the European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Canete, “The U.S. has stated they will not renegotiate the Paris accord, but they will try to review the terms in which they could engaged under this agreement.”
White House senior officials released the U.S. plans to re-engage the deal on Saturday, according to the Journal's source.
For months, conservatives have lauded President Trump for putting the American worker first by pulling out of the Paris Agreement. Liberals, however, criticized him saying he was putting the future of the world at stake and even saying that the decision to withdraw proved that his base as well as his former right-hand man, Steve Bannon, had too much influence.
While some may argue this is another moment of President Trump shunning his base, others will likely argue it is exactly what he promised to do from the Rose Garden ast June.
To clarify, Trump stated, "In order to fulfill my solemn duty to protect America and its citizens, the United States will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord," However, he continued adding a caveat hinting that the U.S. may not be fully out if they could find a way to benefit, "We will begin negotiations to re-enter either the Paris Accord, or an entirely new agreement."
The White House refused to respond to the Wall Street Journal for comments. This story will be updated as details come in.
UPDATE: Moments ago, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders issued the following tweet:
Our position on the Paris agreement has not changed. @POTUS has been clear, US withdrawing unless we get pro-America terms.
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) September 16, 2017