President Trump was keeping the liberal media on the edge of their seats Wednesday, as he played coy with his decision about whether or not to pull out of Paris Climate Change Accord agreed to by former President Obama. “You're going to find out very soon,” he told the press during a meeting with the president of Vietnam. That seemed to send the media into a panic as demonstrated by the coverage (or the covfefe) of the Big Three Networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) later that evening.
“He seemed to suggest he still hasn't made up his mind … But CBS News has confirmed the President has begun to tell confidantes that he will withdraw from the agreement,” reported Chip Reid during the first segment of CBS Evening News. Reid then touted the collective condemnation of Trump from other world leaders:
Reports to that effect ricocheted around the globe, drawing criticism from world leaders. The prime minister of India said it would be a crime to spoil the environment for future generations. Finland's prime minister said climate change won't be reversed by closing your eyes. And in Berlin, the head of the European Commission lectured Mr. Trump that “not everything in international agreements is fake news.”
After falsely stating there was a “scientific consensus” on climate change and failing to mention that India was one of the world’s worst emitters of CO2, Reid leaned on former Obama official Brian Dees to knock Trump around a little. “Across the globe, we have a competition for who’s going to be the clean energy superpower of the 21st century and who’s going to gain the economic benefits from doing that,” Dees claimed. “But we can't win if we step off the playing field and disengage altogether.”
Dees was clearly of the opinion that only the government, and not the market, could make the advancements he seeks.
On ABC’s World News Tonight, Senior White House Correspondent Cecilia Vega hyped the jockeying to influence the President’s opinion. “Chief Strategist Steve Bannon pushing for withdrawal, along with 22 Republican Senators. Daughter Ivanka pushing to stay in the deal,” she said. “[Elon] Musk threatening to resign from White House advisory councils if the President backs out of the deal.”
Vega also highlighted the work of environmentalists. “The behind the scenes lobbying is fierce right now, David. One environmental group tells me they called the White House 30,000 times this afternoon alone,” she explained to Anchor David Muir.
NBC Nightly News had similar reporting, but they wore their opinion a bit more on their sleeve than ABC. “The issue even dividing the West Wing with daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner urging him to stay in,” reported White House Correspondent Kristen Welker, with the words “stay in” in bright green. In contrast, when she stated that “but nationalists like Steve Bannon pressing him to pull out,” the words “pull out” were in deep red over a scary picture of Bannon.
“But supporters of the Paris deal stress it's critical to protect the environment and national security and warned the Earth had the hottest year on record. A trend they say will only worsen if the President pulls out,” Welker said, trying to give their argument a greater voice.
All three of the networks made sure to mention the liberal talking point that if Trump were to pull America out of the deal, it would put the country in the company of Syria and Nicaragua.
Transcripts below:
CBS Evening News
May 31, 2017
6:31:25 PM EasternJEFF GLOR: President Trump is about the make one of his biggest calls since he took office. As a candidate, he said he would pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Change Accord. Will he follow through? Here's Chip Reid.
[Cuts to video]
CHIP REID: During a photo op with the leader of Vietnam today, President Trump was asked if he's going to pull out of the Paris Climate Accord.
DONALD TRUMP: You're going to find out very soon.
REID: He seemed to suggest he still hasn't made up his mind.
TRUMP: I'm hearing from a lot of people both ways.
REID: But CBS News has confirmed the President has begun to tell confidantes that he will withdraw from the agreement. Reports to that effect ricocheted around the globe, drawing criticism from world leaders. The prime minister of India said it would be a crime to spoil the environment for future generations. Finland's prime minister said climate change won't be reversed by closing your eyes. And in Berlin, the head of the European Commission lectured Mr. Trump that “not everything in international agreements is fake news.” Only two nations, Syria and Nicaragua, currently oppose the climate accord.
TRUMP: Global warming and a lot of it is a hoax. It's a hoax.
REID: During the campaign, President Trump dismissed the scientific consensus that rising temperatures are caused primarily by fossil fuels like coal and oil. But even most major American businesses from Exxon to Apple support the agreement. Brian Dees, who was President Obama's point person on the Paris Accord, says it's not just about the environment. It's about the economy.
BRIAN DEES: Across the globe, we have a competition for who’s going to be the clean energy superpower of the 21st century and who’s going to gain the economic benefits from doing that. But we can't win if we step off the playing field and disengage altogether.
[Cuts back to live]
REID: There is still some uncertainty about what the President will decide. Sources say he has even discussed the possibility of renegotiating the agreement. But, Jeff, it is far from clear that the rest of the world would agree with that.
GLOR: All right, Chip Reid at the White House. Chip, thank you very much.
...
ABC
World News Tonight
May 31, 2017
6:35:21 PM EasternDAVID MUIR: President Trump meanwhile expected to make a key decision very soon. One watched closely on Capitol Hill and really across the world. Even the Pope waiting to see what the President will do. He's about to decide whether the United States will remain part of the Paris climate agreement fighting climate change. But is he already leaning in one direction?
(…)
CECILIA VEGA: Behind the scenes, sources tell ABC News the President is likely to pull out of the landmark deal. Inside the White House, feverish last-minute negotiations on both sides. Chief Strategist Steve Bannon pushing for withdrawal, along with 22 Republican Senators. Daughter Ivanka pushing to stay in the deal. Big names like Apple's Tim Cook and Tesla's Elon Musk calling to lobby President Trump too. Musk threatening to resign from White House advisory councils if the President backs out of the deal.
(…)
Aides now say his views are evolving. If the U.S. withdraws from the climate accord, it would join the company of Nicaragua and Syria, which haven't signed, and create yet a new test for already-strained relations with Germany's Angela Merkel and France's Emmanuel Macron. But tonight, the President seems poised to dismiss the advice of even the Pope to make good on that campaign promise.
(…)
MUIR: When do we expect a decision?
VEGA: Well, the President today, David, said it could happen very soon. But the behind the scenes lobbying is fierce right now, David. One environmental group tells me they called the White House 30,000 times this afternoon alone.
MUIR: The lobbying on both sides tonight.
...
NBC Nightly News
May 31, 2017
7:04:14 PM EasternSAVANNAH GUTHRIE: President Trump meanwhile is keeping the world in suspension tonight about his plans tonight regarding the landmark climate agreement, known as the Paris Accord. Reports today that the President was about to drop the hammer on that agreement sent a ripple across the globe but tonight some activists are holding out hope. NBC White House Correspondent Kristen Welker with the enormous impact it could have.
(…)
KRISTEN WELKER: Mr. Trump, who once called climate change a hoax, vowed to pull out of the deal as a candidate, calling it a jobs killer.
DONALD TRUMP: We will scrap the $5 trillion Obama-Clinton action plan and the clean power plan.
WELKER: The non-binding agreement asks the nearly 200 participating countries to reduce toxic emissions, long a political lightning rod. The issue even dividing the West Wing with daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner urging him to stay in [colored green], but nationalists like Steve Bannon pressing him to pull out [colored red]. 22 Republican Senators wrote a letter asking the President to withdraw saying, the “deal places too many regulations on the energy sector” and “hurts the economy.”
DANIELLE PLETKA: He promised constituents he wouldn't be part of the economy-killing environmental regulations. Well, that's a promise he made. He going to keep it.
WELKER: But supporters of the Paris deal stress it's critical to protect the environment and national security, and warned the Earth had the hottest year on record. A trend they say will only worsen if the President pulls out. Creating more heat waves, coastal flooding and stronger storms like Super Storm Sandy. 33 big companies have pressed the President to stay in, arguing the deal is also good for trade. The only other major countries not part of the deal, Syria and Nicaragua.
(…)
