If re-elected in November, Donald Trump would reportedly withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord for the second time.
Politico reported, citing a campaign spokesperson, that conservatives have spent years preparing for Trump’s withdrawal from the global agreement aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
After years of groundwork by conservatives, including drafting executive orders, Trump is poised to withdraw from the global climate agreement if re-elected, a lawyer familiar with the process told Politico.
One of these measures is a draft order that could potentially withdraw the United States from the entire United Nations framework supporting global climate negotiations, a move with significant implications for efforts to mitigate global warming.
On Friday, Trump campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that if asked, Trump would repeat his decision to withdraw the United States from the landmark climate agreement, stating, “Yes, he has said that,” the report noted.
Trump’s intention to withdraw from the Paris accord isn’t unexpected, following his previous withdrawal and lobbying efforts by conservatives. During a recent debate with President Joe Biden in Atlanta, Trump criticized the agreement as “a rip-off of the United States” and “a disaster.”
Industry lawyers have reportedly been drafting various executive orders on energy policies for Trump to potentially sign, the report added, citing sources familiar with the effort.
The Paris Agreement is “a bad deal for the United States,” said Mandy Gunasekara, the EPA head of staff during the Trump administration and writer of Project 2025’s energy and environmental provisions.
“It does little to meaningfully reduce emissions. It’s been used to justify onerous regulations that make energy more expensive,” Politico added.
Given its significant funding role, the U.S.’ departure would hinder the UNFCCC’s (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) operations. It could also pose considerable challenges for a future president seeking to rejoin the Paris Agreement.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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