Obama Reacts To U.S. Withdrawal From Paris Climate Agreement

Former President Obama, without mentioning his successor's name, criticized President Trump for deciding to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, which his administration helped negotiate, and which he signed.

"Even in the absence of American leadership; even as this Administration joins a small handful of nations that reject the future; I'm confident that our states, cities, and businesses will step up and do even more to lead the way, and help protect for future generations the one planet we've got," the former president said in a statement.

In his announcement Thursday afternoon that the U.S. would formally withdraw from the Paris pact, Mr. Trump claimed that the landmark climate agreement is "very unfair, at the highest level, to the United States" and expressed concern that the international deal would hinder U.S. economic growth and energy markets, like the coal industry.