Trump exits Paris Climate deal, WHO on first day of second term

Trump exits Paris Climate deal, WHO on first day of second term
2025-01-21T06:45:06+00:00

Shafaq News/ President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization on Monday, fulfilling campaign promises on his first day back in office.

Signing executive orders hours after his inauguration, Trump cited the WHO's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and China's influence over the organization as reasons for the withdrawal.

“The United States will no longer fund or participate in an organization that fails to hold its members accountable,” Trump said. His decision to leave the WHO, which takes a year to finalize, pauses US funding to the global health agency and reignites criticisms from public health experts and lawmakers.

The president also ordered the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, marking the second time he has exited the global pact aimed at combating climate change. “I’m immediately withdrawing from the unfair, one-sided Paris climate accord rip-off,” Trump said during a rally in Washington.

The Paris deal, signed by 196 nations in 2015, aims to limit global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius. Critics warned that the US exit undermines international efforts to address the climate crisis.

Other actions signed Monday include halting offshore wind projects, pausing federal renewable energy initiatives, and declaring a national emergency at the southern border. Trump also issued pardons for most individuals charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

The executive orders signal a sharp pivot from Biden-era policies, including rescinding measures on transgender military service, private prison contracts, and birthright citizenship protections.

“America will once again be a nation of strength, energy independence, and unrelenting resolve,” Trump said.

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