Washington (AFP) – Donald Trump signaled his campaign trail dismissal of the threat of climate change may have been hot air after all, saying he was “open minded” on supporting global accords.
The US president-elect emerged from cabinet-building talks in his Trump Tower headquarters and traveled ten minutes across town to The New York Times to give a wide-ranging interview on his plans.
He disavowed “alt-right” activists who hailed his election as a victory for white supremacy, distanced himself from calls to prosecute Hillary Clinton and defended his global business empire.
And he appeared to soften his pledge to pull the United States out of accords such as last year’s COP21 Paris Agreement, that binds countries to national pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“I’m looking at it very closely. I have an open mind to it,” he told New York Times executives and journalists over lunch at their headquarters, according to the paper’s own account.
Campaigning ahead of November 8, Trump repeatedly told crowds of rustbelt and southern voters — factory workers, coal miners and oilmen among them — that he would tear up international climate agreements.
As far back as 2012 he had tweeted: “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive.”
Now elected and due to become president on January 20, when he was confronted by Times columnist Thomas Friedman he admitted there may be a link between human industry and global warming.
“I think there is some connectivity. Some, something. It depends on how much,” he said, adding he would nevertheless remain concerned about how much green measures would “cost our companies.”
If he caves in on global warming I will curse him, believe me.
It would appear that he is throwing out trial balloons to gauge how his supporters react. If they are incensed he will back off from weakening his position if they cut him slack then full speed ahead with the revision! Don’t cut him any slack from his hard-line positions that got him elected. Hold his blasted feet to the fire!!!l
He’s way too smart not to realize what this means to the millions that supported him.
The burr under my saddle was his first mention of immigration being he’ll look into abuse of the visa program???
So taking a step back, he’s only just got elected. Let’s get him inaugurated.
While I would LOVE to have him not only stick to the letter of all the pledges – I want him to go further. Is that going to happen? Probably not. More because he may not be able to conduct himself as President the way he would like, and we would like.
I do believe that he will manage to pull off FAR more of his pledges than any other president ever has. Except bastard obama who intended to “fundamentally change America and damn sure has.
We all knew we would not get every thing. I do not believe he will be false, I believe he will analyze and prioritize.
I also believe that the press is once again putting words in his mouth and spinning selectively.
They hate him, and they want to erode the trust his supporters have in him.
They hate him, and they want to erode the trust his supporters have in him.
They hate him, and they want to erode the trust his supporters have in him.
REMEMBER THAT
If he doesn’t build wall he will be a one term president!
Well let’s see, so far he’s put out the word he won’t investigate Hilary endangering US security, he’s talking about people to head DOE and HUD both of which should simply be shut down, may actually be considering Mittens for SOS, and now this.
He’s trolling somebody and I sure hope it isn’t the saps like me who support(ed) him.
I do wish people would stop and take a moment to look at the wider view.
At this point in time, PE Trump is most likely the busiest man in the world. His concentration revolves around sorting out cabinet choices and other positions needing to be filled. How many of you could do this on a daily basis–sorting things long into the night, getting just a few hours of sleep, then beginning the whole thing again?
Please stop the American way of ‘gimme this NOW’ and allow him some time to get the best and brightest into position, get inaugurated and settled in. Then, and only then, watch the games begin.
His first day will be loaded with decisions, and as for keeping promises, have a little patience and try putting yourself in HIS shoes!
^^^ He will be a one term president. That wall will not happen.
Just another rhino like I always thought. It’s going to be like having another term with the Bushes except worse. Good job Trump supporters we could have had Cruz.
*Sniff*
Somebody woke with a smelly diaper?
Good God people. This trash article was written by dave clark( yes lower case is intential) with the afp.
Its a troll piece. Thats all it is. Written to sow seeds of discourse. These trolls are not going to stop and its going to get even worse.
Lets get him in office first
Selecting a RINO lightweight like Haley for UN suggests to me the UN is just not of significance to his plans.
Defund global warming. Withdraw from all Obama pacts and initiatives.
Cut way back on US funding of the UN general budget. Make them work and beg for whatever US funding they do get in future.
It also removes Haley as Gov and her pro-Trump LtGov takes her place.
Not as bad a chess move as it looked at first glance.
Neither. Has this election taught us nothing? The Media Lies to you!!
Media falsely spins Trump’s NYT climate comments – Trump cited Climategate, restated skepticism of ‘global warming’ – Read full transcript
http://www.climatedepot.com/2016/11/23/fake-news-update-media-falsely-spins-trumps-climate-comments-read-full-nyt-transcript/
Once a candidate gets elected. the inevitable waffling and backtracking of their more extreme statements begins. The Donald is no different in this respect than any other politician (which it turns out, he actually is, or quickly learning to be). I don’t mean this in a derogatory sense, either, because it is to be expected and it helps him gain consensus with the people who thought he was a nut case because of some of his more far-fetched promises. For example, I don’t think he or very many other people really expected that he would build a literal giant wall on our southern border. But that’s not why most people voted for him. They voted for him because the alternative was unthinkable. Even if he fulfills half of his campaign promises he will have done a lot, because remember: everything still has to go through Congress, and they won’t all agree with his plans.
I wish him well.
In any event, I suspect the next four years will be very interesting.
What Aggie posted – the NYT is already lying about what Mr. Trump said. They are trying to drive a wedge between him and his supporters.
DO NOT BELIEVE ANYTHING THEY SAY – JUST WATCH AND SEE WHAT HE DOES WITH YOUR OWN EYES BEFORE BASHING HIM!!
I expect an actual wall and Hillary in jail.
“Good job Trump supporters we could have had Cruz.”
Oh, calm down. Yeah, I voted for Cruz,too, but let’s be real. Cruz wouldn’t get anything done because he wouldn’t have been elected – because he can’t work the press and had no strategy to overcome hillary’s ghetto tactics. You can be smart and professional all you like, but it you don’t have an edge or a personality to go with it, you get nowhere.
And by the way, AFP, AP, UPI, and Reuters are notorious for false headlines and ‘adjusted’ stories. AP seems to be leading the pack lately. They used to be independent, now they ‘share’ the news and it’s gotten to the point where you can’t tell where the story originated from.
That’s a shame about UPI in particular. As a kid in Japan, we used to get our news from them.
@MJA (1:41 PM): IMHO Ted Cruz couldn’t have been elected because he didn’t seem trustworthy. Also came on too strong with his religion, too. Bottom line, zealots make people nervous.
Vietvet- Some of my friends had that reaction, too. They were a little annoyed with the “God told me he’d become president”, etc. And the Glenn Beck situation. Oh well. Live and learn.
I know no one will see this way down at the bottom but I just saw the transcript of Trump with the NYTs and he didn’t say anything at all about reversing his position on climate change. I know you will find this SHOCKING but they lied!
Actually, just like the tattoo on Lena Dunham’s ass, some of us saw it way down at the bottom.
😉
@Gwenn: I sincerely hope you won’t be too disappointed if neither of those things happens.
The fundamentals haven’t changed.
And socialists strike when they perceive weakness.
I’ll wait and see (cuz I haven’t much choice).
Whatever waffling and bullshitting he does, he’s infinitely better than HRC (her cackling grated on my ears).
izlamo delenda est …
“Good job Trump supporters we could have had Cruz.”
Holy crap, it’s hard to believe there’s people out there with their lips still clamped around Cruz’s unit.
Trump changing his views was the subject on Rush’s program today and he say’s it’s all bull shit. He also says if you back and read the actual transcripts from these meetings Trump is still standing his ground. It’s an attempt by the media to make Trump look weak to his supporters. Looks like it’s working with some.
—“Good job Trump supporters we could have had Cruz.”—-
And Madam Ppresident. So yes, damn good job Trump supporters!
You’re welcome 😉
@VietVet…I’m used to disappointment..I’m an old woman. Thanks for the worry, though.
@Gwenn: Don’t feel bad – I’m an old man. There’s a lot of this “old” virus going around these days, it seems. Beats the alternative though, I guess.
🙂