Chief strategist Steve Bannon, pictured, and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt are in favor of withdrawing from the agreement altogether. | AP Photo Trump advisers want a better deal on Paris

President Donald Trump's senior advisers were unable to agree on whether the United States should remain in the Paris climate change pact during a meeting Thursday afternoon at the White House, two administration officials told POLITICO.

But those who attended the meeting said there is a growing consensus among the advisers that the United States can't stay in the deal unless it negotiates new terms.


While it would be difficult, if not impossible, to renegotiate the Paris deal that won the backing of nearly 200 nations in 2015, Trump administration officials are increasingly discussing leveraging the uncertainty over the U.S. position to boost the White House's policy priorities in future discussions.

If the administration can't extract new benefits for the U.S., Trump is willing to pull out of the deal altogether, officials said.

"We're trying to decide whether we are going to stay and make changes or leave. But we're not going to just stay," one official said.

The officials who attended Thursday's meeting did not reach a consensus recommendation to deliver to Trump, but they're expected to meet again to discuss the issue.

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Trump's advisers are divided over what to do about the agreement that was a major policy priority for former President Barack Obama. Chief strategist Steve Bannon and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt are in favor of withdrawing. Others, like senior adviser Jared Kushner, support staying in the deal.

Those who support staying have quietly been trying to win backing from energy companies, arguing that the industry will have a better chance of drawing international support to develop technology to reduce emissions from the use of coal. And the officials have said they plan to weaken Obama's emissions reduction target.

A meeting of G-7 energy ministers — including Energy Secretary Rick Perry — in Rome earlier this month erupted in a dispute when Trump administration officials pushed to include stronger pro-coal, pro-nuclear language in a proposed joint statement on energy policy and declined to include references to the Paris climate agreement.