Trump 'evolving' on climate action, pressured by Europeans
Forceful face-to-face talks this week with fellow world leaders left President Donald Trump "more knowledgeable" and with "evolving" views about the global climate accord he's threatened to abandon, a top White House official said Friday. Trump also was impressed by their arguments about how crucial US leadership is in supporting international efforts.
The president's new apparent openness to staying in the landmark Paris climate pact came amid a determined pressure campaign by European leaders. During Friday's gathering of the Group of 7 wealthy democracies—as well as at earlier stops on Trump's first international trip—leaders have implored him to stick with the 2015 accord aimed at reducing carbon emissions and slowing potentially disastrous global warming.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the G-7 leaders "put forward very many arguments" for the US sticking with the agreement. And by Friday evening, White House economic adviser Gary Cohn said Trump's views were indeed "evolving."
