U.S. Completes Withdrawal From Paris Climate Agreement Under Trump Order

Key Facts

Published: January 28, 2026 Location: Washington D.C. Source: Wire Services

• U.S. officially exits Paris Climate Agreement on Jan. 27, 2026
• Trump administration cites energy independence and taxpayer concerns
• Withdrawal follows exits from WHO and dozens of international bodies

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – The United States has formally completed its withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, the State Department confirmed Tuesday, marking President Donald Trump’s second exit from the global climate pact and fulfilling a key pledge of his administration’s “America First” agenda.

President Trump ordered the withdrawal on his first day back in office in 2025. Under the agreement’s rules, the decision required a one-year waiting period. The United Nations confirmed that the U.S. exit officially took effect on January 27, 2026.

The Paris Climate Agreement, adopted in 2015, sought to limit global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by encouraging countries to voluntarily set targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Critics within the Trump administration have long argued the pact places disproportionate economic burdens on the United States while allowing other major polluters to avoid comparable commitments.

In a statement posted on X, the State Department said the agreement “undercuts American energy independence, seeks climate finance redistribution, and tries to enforce net-zero compliance pressure.” The post added that U.S. taxpayer dollars would no longer be directed toward countries deemed undeserving of financial assistance.

White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers called the withdrawal “another commonsense America First victory,” saying the agreement undermined American values, wasted taxpayer funds, and stifled economic growth.

The move follows Trump’s broader effort to pull the U.S. out of international bodies he says conflict with national interests. Earlier this month, the president announced the United States would withdraw from 66 international organizations. Last week, the administration completed its exit from the World Health Organization, citing its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This marks the second time the United States has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement. Trump first exited the accord during his initial term, arguing it harmed American workers and businesses. His successor, President Joe Biden, later rejoined the pact, a decision Trump repeatedly criticized before reversing it again.

With the withdrawal complete, the United States is now among a small number of nations without a formal national target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The administration has also moved to cancel international climate aid, warned of potential tariffs on countries supporting carbon taxes on shipping, and criticized foreign renewable energy mandates.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has closed the State Department’s climate office and dismissed staff involved in international climate negotiations. The Environmental Protection Agency has also withheld U.S. emissions data from the United Nations for the first time and is moving to end its greenhouse gas reporting program.

The Trump administration is additionally pursuing an exit from the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, signaling a broader retreat from international climate policy cooperation.

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