The White House Is Making a $7 Trillion Problem Worse Highlight

The legality of many of these withdrawals is an open question. At the urging of Republican President George H.W. Bush, the Senate ratified the UNFCCC in 1992 with a unanimous vote that included dozens of Republicans because international cooperation and at least pretending to care about the environment were once bipartisan priorities. Trump may not legally be able to just walk away from a treaty ratified by the Senate. His order does include some fudging language about how “withdrawal means ceasing participation in or funding to those entities to the extent permitted by law.” That could help it withstand legal challenges.