Trump suggests Macron's delay of fuel tax shows he was right to pull out of climate accord
President Trump suggested in a tweet Tuesday that French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to delay a fuel tax because of the violent protests in his country shows Mr. Trump was right to withdraw from the Paris climate accord. In a tweet Tuesday night, he wrote, "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."
Mr. Trump was referring to the accord drafted in Paris in 2015. He announced in June 2017 that the U.S. would withdraw from the deal.
Mr. Trump's tweet comes after French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, bowing to three weeks of the most violent protests France has seen in decades, decided to suspend planned fuel tax increases for at least six months. France's planned tax hike was intended to wean French consumers off fossil fuels, which are believed to contribute to climate change.
Macron's popularity has slumped to new lows since the first demonstrations took place on Nov. 17. The former investment banker, who campaigned for deep pro-business economic reforms, is accused of being the "president for the rich" and of being estranged from the working classes.
Since he returned from the G-20 summit in Argentina over the weekend, Macron's actions have done little to change that perception. He has refrained from speaking publicly about the protests, and has largely remained in his palace residence. On Tuesday night, he was booed and jeered as he traveled to a regional government headquarters that was torched by protesters last weekend.
