Merkley Slams Trump’s Paris Withdrawal

Decision to withdraw from global climate accord “represents an embarrassing and shameful abandonment of U.S. leadership on the global stage,” Senator says

Monday, November 4, 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, a member of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Senate Democrats’ Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, released the following statement after President Donald J. Trump initiated a U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement:

“Today’s decision represents an embarrassing and shameful abandonment of U.S. leadership on the global stage. This abdication is not only terrible for America’s moral standing in the world, it is also an act of sabotage against the American economy. If we don’t aggressively lead the clean energy revolution, other nations will beat us—and they will capture the rewards in growing jobs and prosperity.

“Climate chaos is a planetary crisis, and we need every nation on the front lines of this battle. For America to retreat is a massive failure of leadership at a critical moment. An American retreat is great for the economies of China and India, and terrible for America’s economy. Donald Trump should quit damaging the American economy, and reverse course on this reckless and reprehensible decision.”