Trump Announces U.S. Withdrawal from Paris Climate Accord

On June 1, President Trump announced that he would be withdrawing the United States from the  Paris Climate Accord, formally entered into by former President Obama on August 29, 2016, along with 194 other signatories. Under the agreement, within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), each signatory determines its own contribution it should make in order to adopt green energy sources, cut down on climate change emissions, and limit the rise of global temperatures. Trump stated that "in order to fulfill my solemn duty to protect America and its citizens, the United States will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, but begin negotiations to reenter either the Paris Accord or an entirely new transaction on terms that are fair to the United States, its businesses, its workers, its people, its taxpayers. So we're getting out. But we will start to negotiate, and we will see if we can make a deal that's fair. And if we can, that's great. And if we can't, that's fine."  The move irked U.S. business leaders and prompted  30 states  to say they will adhere to commitments to reduce emissions.  The deal was specifically designed so that the U.S. could join without the need for congressional approval.  According to the Paris Agreement, nations that want to withdraw only have to leave a written notice in a U.N. depository. However,  Trump won't be able to write this letter until three years after the Paris Agreement came into force - that is to say, not until November 4, 2019 - thanks to a clause in the deal itself.  It then takes another year before the U.S. can leave the agreement - bringing it to November 4, 2020 - which is also the day after the next U.S. presidential election. Read more...

Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Reinstate Travel Ban Executive Order

On June 1, the Trump Administration  formally asked the U.S. Supreme Court to  immediately reinstate President Trump's stalled  travel ban , aiming to reverse a string of courtroom losses and setting up the biggest legal showdown of his presidency thus far.  At issue is Trump's March 6 Executive Order temporarily barring entry into the U.S. by people from six predominantly Muslim countries in an effort to protect the country from terrorists. The Administration asked the court to let the ban take effect while the justices decide whether to review a lower court ruling that said the policy was "steeped in animus and directed at a single religious group."  Trump is asking the justices to make their decision on whether to hear the appeal before leaving for their three-month recess at the end of June. Written briefs could be submitted before the court begins its next term in October, the government said. The Administration also asked the court to reinstate the travel ban in the interim by blocking two lower court orders that have put the policy on hold.  As a practical matter, the request for immediate action could determine the fate of the policy, given that the ban would be in effect only for 90 days. The court acts on such requests based on the legal papers without hearing arguments.  The Virginia-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals  voted  10-3 to uphold a nationwide halt to the policy, saying the travel ban was driven by unconstitutional religious motivations. The majority pointed to Trump's campaign vow to bar Muslims from entering the country and to the special preference for religious minorities included in an earlier version of the ban. The appeals court's May 25 opinion also faulted the White House for rushing out the  first version  without consulting with the national security agencies. Read more...