President Trump indulged in some amicable schadenfreude as Paris, the capital city of his one-time “friend” Emmanuel Macron, is rocked by violent and sometimes deadly protests over proposed gas tax increases.
With the memory of Macron’s subtle diss last month during a speech to world leaders at the Arc de Triomphe still clearly fresh in his mind, Trump gloated on twitter that he was “glad that my friend @EmmanuelMacron and the protestors in Paris have agreed with the conclusion I reached two years ago. The Paris Agreement is fatally flawed because it raises the price of energy for responsible countries while whitewashing some of the worst polluters.” Trump famously withdrew the US from the Paris Accord last year over terms that he said benefited China’s economy at the expense of the US.
I am glad that my friend @EmmanuelMacron and the protestors in Paris have agreed with the conclusion I reached two years ago. The Paris Agreement is fatally flawed because it raises the price of energy for responsible countries while whitewashing some of the worst polluters….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 4, 2018
In a follow-up tweet, Trump said US taxpayers “shouldn’t pay to clean up other countries’ pollution.”
….in the world. I want clean air and clean water and have been making great strides in improving America’s environment. But American taxpayers – and American workers – shouldn’t pay to clean up others countries’ pollution.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 4, 2018
“…in the world. I want clean air and clean water and have been making great strides in improving America’s environment. But American taxpayers – and American workers – shouldn’t pay to clean up others countries’ pollution.”
Reeling from demonstrations that have morphed into what’s essentially an uprising against Macron’s administration, the French President on Tuesday announced that he would suspend the planned tax hikes – though more “yellow vest” demonstrations are still being planned.
And Trump has a point: Demonstrators have condemned Macron for adopting a climate change solution that puts too much of the burden for reducing emissions on ordinary French citizens, and not enough on the corporations – and the wealthy shareholders who control them – responsible for the pollution.
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