More than two years after President Trump infuriated the European Union (and particularly Germany and France) by declaring his intentions to pull the US out of the Paris Climate Accord, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday officially began the yearlong process, according to a statement released by his office.

In the statement, Pompeo reiterated that the US quit the agreement because of the “undue economic burden” placed on the US, while insisting that the economy has meaningfully reduced emissions without adhering to the deal’s precepts. He added that the US’s “approach” toward lowering emissions “incorporates the realities of the global energy mix.”

Trump made the initial announcement on June 1, 2017 from the Rose Garden of the White House, inciting international outrage (every other country in the world is a signatory, according to the Hill). Many accused Trump of abandoning America’s role of “global leadership” (which, of course, should be exactly the aim of Trump’s “America First” agenda). The earliest possible withdrawal date is Nov. 4, 2018.

This article appeared at ZeroHedge.com at:  https://www.zerohedge.com/political/white-house-formally-begins-process-leaving-paris-climate-accord

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