Withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement — Twice
Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement — signed by 195 countries — making America the only nation on Earth to reject the accord. He did it again in his second term after Biden had rejoined.
On June 1, 2017, Trump announced U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, the landmark international accord signed by 195 countries to combat climate change. The United States became the only nation in the world to reject the agreement.
Trump claimed the agreement would cost the U.S. $3 trillion in GDP — a figure widely disputed by economists. French President Emmanuel Macron responded with "Make Our Planet Great Again."
The withdrawal took effect on November 4, 2020 — the day after the presidential election. Biden rejoined the accord on his first day in office, January 20, 2021.
Trump then withdrew from the Paris Agreement a second time upon returning to office in January 2025, making the U.S. once again the sole global outlier. The withdrawal became effective in January 2026.
The double withdrawal damaged American credibility on climate and ceded leadership on one of the defining challenges of the 21st century — sending the signal that U.S. commitments last only as long as a single presidential term.