President Trump claimed Tuesday evening that French President Emmanuel Macron “agreed” with his conclusion that the Paris climate agreement is flawed.
In a pair of tweets, Trump appeared to comment on Macron temporarily suspending a rise in carbon taxes following several days of violent protests across France, conflating the issue with the international accord aimed at combating global warming.
“I am glad that my friend @EmmanuelMacron and the protestors in Paris have agreed with the conclusion I reached two years ago,” Trump said.
“The Paris Agreement is fatally flawed because it raises the price of energy for responsible countries while whitewashing some of the worst polluters in the world,” he continued. “I want clean air and clean water and have been making great strides in improving America’s environment. But American taxpayers — and American workers — shouldn’t pay to clean up others countries’ pollution.”
I am glad that my friend @EmmanuelMacron and the protestors in Paris have agreed with the conclusion I reached two years ago. The Paris Agreement is fatally flawed because it raises the price of energy for responsible countries while whitewashing some of the worst polluters….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 4, 2018
The protesters, many of whom are sporting yellow vests, are demonstrating against the fuel tax increase that Macron announced earlier this year as a way to combat the use of fossil fuels, as well as other economic and societal issues.
The unrest is happening as world leaders gather in Poland to discuss the creation of a so-called rulebook for implementing the Paris Agreement with the U.S. neglecting to send a high-level delegation.
Trump announced in July 2017 that the U.S. would withdraw from the international agreement in which countries would work to reduce their carbon emissions, citing the economic hardship of committing to the deal struck during the administration of his predecessor, former President Barack Obama.
However, under the rules of the agreement, the U.S. cannot officially withdraw until November 2020.
Meanwhile, Macron has been one of the staunch defenders of the Paris deal as the U.S. heads for the exit. In April, he boldly predicted that one day the United States will “come back and join the Paris agreement.”
