Hillary Clinton Suggests U.S. Has ‘Abdicated’ Role as Leader of Hopeful Future Under Trump

Twice-failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton suggested on Tuesday that the United States has “abdicated” its role “as a country that leads the world toward a more hopeful future” under the Trump administration, pointing to the withdrawal of the Paris climate agreement.

The U.S. took formal steps this week to officially withdraw from the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed he submitted a notice to the United Nations, signaling the U.S. withdrawal of the symbolic agreement.

“In international climate discussions, we will continue to offer a realistic and pragmatic model — backed by a record of real world results — showing innovation and open markets lead to greater prosperity, fewer emissions, and more secure sources of energy,” Pompeo stated.

Clinton, linking to a piece on the U.S. decision to leave the agreement, proclaimed that the U.S. is essentially renouncing its position “as a country that leads the world toward a more hopeful future.”

“On the climate crisis and on so many other fronts, the United States has abdicated its position as a country that leads the world toward a more hopeful future,” Clinton said. “Let’s start changing that at the polls today—and a year from now in 2020”:

President Trump confirmed last month during an energy conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that the U.S. would withdraw from the Paris climate agreement as part of his “America First” agenda.

“The Paris accord would have been shutting down American producers with excessive regulatory restrictions like you would not believe, while allowing foreign producers to pollute with impunity,” Trump stated.

“What we won’t do is punish the American people while enriching foreign polluters,” he continued.

The agreement is largely symbolic, filled with global platitudes. Critics have long argued that the symbolic measure gives two of the biggest polluters, China and India, what essentially amounts to a free pass.

“I’m proud to say it, it’s called America First,” Trump told the Pittsburgh crowd.