Skip to main content

End of the World? The Extreme Reaction to Trump's Paris Climate Decision

Share This article

President Trump's decision to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord is receiving mixed reaction from around the world.
    
While many world leaders and Democrats expressed outrage and disappointment, some Republicans say it will only help American workers and the U.S. economy.

The reaction from many U.S. politicians, world leaders and Hollywood elites, almost seemed like the president's decision would lead to the end of the world.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called it  "...a huge mistake and future generations will look back on this day as one of the worst things that has happened in the 21st century."

 And Senator Ed Markey, D-Mass., said "The rest of the world no longer respects the U.S. This is the biggest issue in the world to most of the countries who have signed this agreement. They expect the U.S. to be the leader, not the laggart."

The leaders of France, Germany and Italy say they won't renegotiate the accord. Picking up on Trump's campaign theme, French president Emmanuel Macron spoke in English to say his country and nearly 200 others are still committed to the Paris climate agreement.

"Make our planet great again!" he exclaimed.

Here in the U.S. so far, 10 governors and more than 60 mayors say they plan to honor and uphold the commitments made in the 2015 Paris accord.

Still, President Trump insists the industry restrictions mandated by the climate accord would harm American workers and businesses by making them less competitive in global markets. 

During his presidential campaign, Trump called climate change a money-making hoax, and the Paris accord an agreement designed to harm America through a massive redistribution of wealth.

"I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris," Trump said.

Many Republicans on Capitol Hill were supportive of the U.S. pull-out.

Among them was House Speaker Paul Ryan who praised the presidential action.

"The Paris climate agreement was simply a raw deal for America. Signed by President Obama without Senate ratification, it would have driven up the cost of energy, hitting middle-class and low-income Americans the hardest," Ryan said. 

And from the coal state of Kentucky, Republican Sen. Rand Paul tweeted:

"This action by Donald Trump is great news for the economy and could save as many as 6 million U.S. jobs."

Retired coal miner from West Virginia, Kenney Smith said it was a big day for coal.

"He's keeping his promise that he's going to help get the coal jobs back, help people get back to work, and that's what we need, anywhere in this country," Smith said. "You can go to Detroit, you can go to Pennsylvania you can go to West Virginia, there's people that have been laid off for years, they're just forgotten."

And that may be at the heart of the president's decision, and what many global leaders and corporate CEO's like Tesla's Elon Musk don't seem to understand.

Conservative commentator Erick Erickson responded to the American left's extreme reaction writing, “Because our signature is not there, we are doomed. We’re all going to die, according to a group of people who think you can pick your gender and life begins when a baby comes home from the hospital.”

Erickson suggested he was not surprised by the reaction to the president’s decision because since the 1960’s, leftwing activists have presented gloom and doom scenarios about climate and overpopulation and have advanced a belief that humanity is a blight on a pure planet.

In his blog The Resurgent, Erickson suggested many of those outraged by Trump's decision possess a spirituality that differs from the beliefs held by most conservative Christians. 

“The fatalism of a secular left with no belief in God has turned to a finite belief in an earth where humanity itself is original sin." 

He writes, “The truth is we are all going to die. But it won’t be because of global warming. I have read the end of the book. There will be famine. There will be drought. There will be flood. And there will be war. Then there will be a last day where we stand before our Maker and are called to account.”

“Worrying about global warming and social justice won’t get you past the pearly gates. Saving souls will. But it is hard to save souls when you don’t believe in the God of creation because you are too busy worshipping that creation.” 

 
 

Share This article

About The Author

Gary Lane
Gary
Lane

Mr. Lane currently serves as International News Director and Senior International Correspondent for CBN News. He has traveled to more than 120 countries—many of them restricted nations or areas hostile to Christianity and other minority faiths where he has interviewed persecution victims and has provided video reports and analysis for CBN News. Also, he has provided written stories and has served as a consultant for the Voice of the Martyrs. Gary joined The Christian Broadcasting Network in 1984 as the first full-time Middle East Correspondent for CBN News. Based in Jerusalem, Gary produced