Why Putting America First in Global Environmental Agreements Matters: Insights from The White House

As President, I hereby declare our commitment to prioritize the United States and its people in all economic and environmental efforts.

Our goal is clear: we want to grow our economy while protecting jobs. America has a strong history of finding smart policies that let us boost our economy, raise wages, and increase energy production, all while cutting down air and water pollution and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. This balance is something other countries can learn from.

However, in recent years, some international agreements have not aligned with our values or reflected the efforts we have made. These agreements often lead to American taxpayer money being sent to nations that don’t need it, which isn’t fair to the American people.

Going forward, my administration will ensure that any international agreements serve the interests of the United States. We will not support deals that harm our economy or unfairly burden our citizens.

To put this into action:

• The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations will notify the Secretary-General that America is withdrawing from the Paris Agreement.
• The same Ambassador will also inform the UN about our withdrawal from all agreements under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
• We will cancel any financial commitments the U.S. has made regarding the climate change initiatives mentioned above.
• After these steps, the Ambassador, along with the Secretary of State and Secretary of the Treasury, will prepare a report on any further actions needed to uphold our policies.
• The U.S. International Climate Finance Plan is immediately revoked, and the Office of Management and Budget will provide guidance on the release of any frozen funds within ten days.
• Within thirty days, various department heads will report back on actions taken to revoke policies that supported the International Climate Finance Plan.
• We will also emphasize economic efficiency and American prosperity in all foreign energy agreements.

It is important to clarify:

• This order does not affect any existing legal powers of executive departments.
• It will be carried out according to the law and budget availability.
• No part of this order aims to create any rights or legal benefits enforceable by any individual or party.

This commitment signals a shift toward a more balanced approach to economic growth and environmental responsibility in the spirit of what America’s values represent.

Signed, THE WHITE HOUSE, January 20, 2025.