Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, said his city won't "back down" if the White House walks away from the Paris climate accord.
Walsh's comments on Wednesday came after reports emerged that Trump had decided to withdraw the U.S. from the historic 2015 agreement, which he had promised to do so during the 2016 campaign.
"As a coastal city, we know what's at stake," Walsh said, adding the city will remain committed to investing in its clean energy industry.
He also quipped President Trump "has to look outside his little bubble" when it comes to climate change.
A White House official told The Associated Press Wednesday morning that Trump is expected to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate accord. But the official said there may be "caveats in the language" that Trump uses to announce the withdrawal - leaving open the possibility that the decision isn't final. The official insisted on anonymity in order to discuss the decision before the official announcement.
Trump promised during his presidential campaign to pull the U.S. out of the deal, which was signed by nearly 200 nations.
Forty Democratic senators sent Trump a letter urging him to stay in, saying a withdrawal would hurt America's credibility and influence on the world stage. Hundreds of high-profile businesses have also spoken out in favor of the deal, including Apple, Google and Walmart. Even fossil fuel companies such as Exxon Mobil, BP and Shell say the United States should abide by the deal.
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Congressman Joe Kennedy III (D-Massachusetts) said in a statement Wednesday that withdrawing from the agreement will not only "undermine global leadership and abandon moral responsibility" but also "actively sacrifice the immediate health and safety of American citizens."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) said on Twitter that Trump has "given one handout after another to Big Oil and Big Coal since taking office" and is now "about to surrender U.S. climate leadership on the world stage by pulling out of the Paris Agreement." She then added that America "must do better as a nation and tackle climate change head-on."
