President Trump’s views on Paris climate agreement ‘evolving,’ adviser Gary Cohn says

Andrew Harrer-Pool/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — President Donald Trump’s views on the Paris climate agreement are “evolving,” his chief economic adviser Gary Cohn told reporters Friday.

“He came here to learn,” Cohn said. “So his views are evolving, which is exactly what they should be.”

The president’s national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, then chimed in to say that the president’s decision about whether to remain in the agreement would ultimately be based what’s best for the United States; Cohn concurred.

“The basis for the decision is ultimately going to be what’s best for the United States,” Cohn said.

The future of the United States’ involvement in the landmark agreement, which the president repeatedly criticized as a candidate, has been a sticking point at the ongoing summit, with the Italian prime minister pointing to it as an “open question” at the day’s conclusion.

“There is one open question, which is the U.S. position on the Paris climate accords. … All others have confirmed their total agreement on the accord,” Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said at the end of the first day’s session. “We are sure that after an internal reflection, the United States will also want to commit to it.”

The president is not expected to make a final decision on the accord until after he returns home. But Cohn indicated earlier Friday that the president was growing more attuned to the European stance on the issue.

“I think he is leaning to understand the European position,” Cohn said when asked which way the president was leaning. “Look as you know from the U.S. there’s very strong views on both sides.”

In addition to getting pushed on the topic at the G7 summit, the president also got an earful at the Vatican, where the pope presented the president with one of his writings on the environment and the Cardinal secretary of state further raised the issue during a bilateral meeting.

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