Trump said ‘I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris’ – but city’s mayor retorts: ‘We stand with the world and will follow the agreement’

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Donald Trump may claim to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, but the mayor of the Steel City said he supports Paris.

Bill Peduto, the mayor of Pittsburgh, fired back after Trump referenced the city in his speech defending the White House’s decision to withdraw the US from the Paris climate accord.

Obama condemns Trump for 'rejecting the future' by exiting Paris deal Read more

“I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris,” Trump said, speaking in the White House rose garden on Thursday.

Peduto seized on the comment, countering that Pittsburgh voted for Trump’s opponent, Hillary Clinton, during the 2016 presidential election. “Fact: Hillary Clinton received 80% of the vote in Pittsburgh,” he wrote. “Pittsburgh stands with the world and will follow Paris agreement.”

He continued: “As the mayor of Pittsburgh, I can assure you that we will follow the guidelines of the Paris agreement for our people, our economy and future.”

bill peduto (@billpeduto) As the Mayor of Pittsburgh, I can assure you that we will follow the guidelines of the Paris Agreement for our people, our economy & future. https://t.co/3znXGTcd8C

The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, an outspoken critic of Trump, chimed in. “Once again Donald Trump is wrong,” Hidalgo said on Twitter. “Paris and Pittsburgh do stand together for the Paris agreement.”

During his remarks, Trump also referenced Youngstown, Ohio, and Detroit, Michigan, as examples of cities that would benefit from America’s departure from the Paris accord. Like Pittsburgh, both cities are located in counties that Clinton won easily.

Peduto is one of several US mayors who have committed to enforce the tenets of the climate accord, despite Trump’s decision to join Nicaragua and Syria as the only countries not party to the agreement.

In a statement, the US Conference of Mayors said that it strongly opposes leaving the Paris agreement, and called on the nation’s mayors to continuing fighting climate change by committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“The US Conference of Mayors is a strong proponent of the need to address climate change and we support the Paris agreement, which positions the world’s nations, including the United States, to be energy independent, self-reliant, and resilient,” Phoenix mayor Greg Stanton, chair of the conference’s environment committee, said in a statement.

“A thriving economy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are compatible by focusing on new technology, investing in renewable fuel sources, and increasing our energy efficiency.”

Greg Stanton (@MayorStanton) It's official, President Trump refuses to lead. I & other mayors will. #ClimateMayors #ParisAccord @ClimateMayors https://t.co/rWgRxNdkiA

Barack Obama, whose administration spent years painstakingly negotiating the terms of the Paris climate agreement, said leaving the accord is an abdication of US leadership on the global stage. But in the absence of a national commitment, Obama said “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”.

On Thursday, 61 mayors said they would independently adopt the Paris accord, according to Climate Mayors, a network of 88 mayors that sent a letter to Trump in March opposing his actions on climate change.

“We will continue to lead,” the mayors said in a statement. “If the president wants to break the promises made to our allies enshrined in the historic Paris agreement, we’ll build and strengthen relationships around the world to protect the planet from devastating climate risks,” they said. “The world cannot wait – and neither will we.”