America might not be leaving the Paris climate accord, after all

(Image credit: CBS Face The Nation)

published 17 September 2017

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Sunday said President Trump is "open" to remaining in the Paris climate accord under the right conditions. "The president said he is open to finding those conditions where we can remain engaged with others on what we all agree is still a challenging issue," Tillerson said on CBS's Face The Nation.

The comments came one day after the White House denied a Wall Street Journal report that made similar claims. In a statement, Deputy Press Secretary Lindsay Walters said, "There has been no change in the U.S.'s position on the Paris Agreement," but added a caveat: "As the president has made abundantly clear, the U.S. is withdrawing unless we can re-enter on terms that are more favorable to our country."

UPDATE 11:40 a.m.: Also on Sunday, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said on Fox News Sunday that Trump is absolutely not reconsidering pulling out of the climate accord. "That's a false report," McMaster said. "The president decided to pull out of the Paris accord because it's a bad deal for the American people and it's a bad deal for the environment." However, McMaster said, the president's "ears are open if, at some point, they decide they can come forward with an agreement that addresses the president's very legitimate concerns with Paris." So much for clarity!

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Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.

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