President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States will withdraw from the landmark Paris climate agreement.
Trump also said he would start talks to re-enter the accord with what he called a more "fair" deal, but was immediately rebuked by several European governments.
The decision sets the world's largest economy apart from almost all other nations on Earth, and moves in opposition to many large American companies, as well. Always a showman, Trump announced the decision in a heavily teased event at the White House Rose Garden, where administration officials and conservatives applauded the move.
"In order to fulfill my solemn duty to protect America and its citizens, the United States will withdraw from the Paris climate accord, but begin negotiations to re-enter either the Paris accord or an entirely new transaction on terms that are fair to the United States, its businesses, its workers, its people, its taxpayers," Trump said.