Reactions To Trump Pulling US From Paris Climate Deal

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President Trump officially announced on Thursday that he will withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, an international deal aimed at reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Trump said in his announcement that his decision will fulfill his "solemn duty to protect America and its citizens."

The climate agreement, championed by President Obama, isn't legally binding, but brought almost every nation in the world together to pledge individual goals to reduce their emissions. Obama said the U.S. would reduce its 2005 emission levels by 26% to 28% by 2025, and Trump's announcement means the country will no longer be striving to hit that mark.

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Trump has time and again denied the fact of climate change: from saying it was "created by and for the Chinese" to calling it "bullshit." The president did specify that he might seek a new climate deal or renegotiate the terms of the Paris agreement.

Still, the decision was a huge blow to Obama's climate legacy, climate activists, and pretty much any American who believes climate change is real (it is) and cares about combating man-made factors. It's also a huge blow to women, as they're more likely to die in natural disasters worsened by warming temperatures and usually have less resources to adapt to environmental changes.

Democratic politicians responded to President Trump's decision on Twitter, calling it short-sighted and dangerous.

Facing 2 choices on Paris Climate deal, it speaks volumes that Trump chose a short-sighted political payoff over long-term responsibility.
— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) June 1, 2017

We're already feeling impacts of climate change. Exiting #ParisAgreement imperils US security and our ability to own the clean energy future
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) June 1, 2017

With or without the support of Trump and the fossil fuel industry we must transition rapidly away from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) June 1, 2017

Obama, who helped negotiate the climate deal, released a statement saying, "The nations that remain in the Paris Agreement will be the nations that reap the benefits in jobs and industries created."

JUST IN: Statement from President Barack Obama on the Paris Climate Accord: pic.twitter.com/hVDrsPFrTH
— NBC News (@NBCNews) June 1, 2017

While more moderate Republicans also opposed the decision, GOP leaders praised it.

Climate change requires a global approach. I'm disappointed in the President's decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement #mepolitics
— Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) June 1, 2017

Retweet to agree → The #ParisAgreement was simply a raw deal for America. pic.twitter.com/WZckV4cgSd
— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) June 1, 2017

Others on Twitter pointed out that climate change has the greatest impact on minorities, the poor, and women, so refusing to address the environment puts those communities at greater risk.

Pulling out of the Paris Agreement would be a massive step back for racial justice, and an assault on communities of color across the U.S.
— ACLU National (@ACLU) June 1, 2017

Withdrawing from the climate agreement while also withdrawing support for contraception around the world is a real doozy.
— Annie Lowrey (@AnnieLowrey) June 1, 2017

It's also worth noting that climate change wasn't a major issue in the 2016 election, and Trump wasn't asked about it during a presidential debate.

Reminder: there were no questions on climate change at any of the three presidential debates.
— David Mack (@davidmackau) June 1, 2017

People immediately began looking to the future, theorizing about what this decision will mean for 2020.

silverlining: there is now a chance that the 2020 US Presidential election campaign will be the first with climate change as the key topic.
— Wolfgang Blau (@wblau) June 1, 2017

That is three whole years away, but at least someone found a silver lining.