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Donald Trump says 'something could happen with the Paris Agreement' Donald Trump says 'something could happen with the Paris Agreement'
(35 minutes later)
Donald Trump said "something" could happen regarding the Paris Agreement on climate change during his trip to France on Bastille Day.  Donald Trump said "something" could happen regarding the Paris Agreement on climate change during his trip to France ahead of Bastille Day. 
Mr Trump withdrew the US from the global climate agreement which nearly 200 countries signed in December 2015 in an effort to combat global warming and help poorer countries adapt to an already-changed planet. Mr Trump withdrew the US from the global climate agreement which nearly 200 countries signed in December 2015 in an effort to combat global warming and help poorer countries adapt to an already-changed planet. 
He said it puts American workers, particularly in the coal industry, at an "economic disadvantage". He said it puts American workers, particularly in the coal industry, at an "economic disadvantage". 
"If it happens that will be wonderful and if it doesn't that will be ok too," Mr Trump said in a joint statement with French President Emmanuel Macron. "If it happens that will be wonderful and if it doesn't that will be ok too," Mr Trump said in a joint statement with French President Emmanuel Macron. 
Mr Trump appeared to leave the matter open-ended: "we'll see what happens". Mr Trump appeared to leave the matter open-ended: "we'll see what happens". 
He and Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt have expressed a desire for the Paris accord to be re-negotiated, a notion France, Germany, and Italy immediately dismissed in a rare joint statement the same day as the US withdrawal announcement. He and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief Scott Pruitt have expressed a desire for the Paris accord to be re-negotiated, a notion France, Germany, and Italy immediately dismissed in a rare joint statement the same day as the US withdrawal announcement.
The US still has to follow formal withdrawal procedures within the United Nations framework and will not technically be "out" of the agreement until just before the 2020 US election, but for all intents and purposes Mr Trump has said the US would not be putting federal resources towards meeting carbon emissions targets or financing outlined in the accord.The US still has to follow formal withdrawal procedures within the United Nations framework and will not technically be "out" of the agreement until just before the 2020 US election, but for all intents and purposes Mr Trump has said the US would not be putting federal resources towards meeting carbon emissions targets or financing outlined in the accord.
However, nearly a thousand cities, states, and CEOs of companies have pledged to do what they can to help the US meet the targets. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was optimistic about the sub-national actors' actions. However, nearly a thousand cities, states, and CEOs of companies have pledged to do what they can to help the US meet the targets. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was optimistic about the sub-national actors' actions. 
While some may think of it is a positive turn to the "G19+1" narrative coming out of the G20 summit last week in Hamburg, Germany when the US was the sole member not to sign on to the outcome document on climate change, not all see it that way. While some may think of it is a positive turn to the "G19+1" narrative coming out of the G20 summit last week in Hamburg, Germany when the US was the sole member not to sign on to the outcome document on climate change, not all see it that way. 
Richard Gowan, a UN expert with the European Council on Foreign Affairs, called it "blather".Richard Gowan, a UN expert with the European Council on Foreign Affairs, called it "blather".
Beyond climate change, Mr Trump had praise for the French leader, saying that he "applaud[s] President Macron on his courageous call for that 'less bureaucracy'...it's a good chant."Beyond climate change, Mr Trump had praise for the French leader, saying that he "applaud[s] President Macron on his courageous call for that 'less bureaucracy'...it's a good chant."
He discussed the 2016 Bastille Day attacks in Nice, France and the commitment of both countries to fight terrorism. He discussed the 2016 Bastille Day attacks in Nice, France and the commitment of both countries to fight terrorism. 
"Our two nations are forever joined together by the spirit of revolution and the fight for freedom," the US leader said."Our two nations are forever joined together by the spirit of revolution and the fight for freedom," the US leader said.
"France is America's first and oldest ally - a lot of people don't know that.""France is America's first and oldest ally - a lot of people don't know that."
There was also the matter of an awkward handshake with Mr Macron's wife, Brigitte. Mr Trump commented on camera: "“You’re in such great shape,” before turning to Mr Macron to repeat the compliment.There was also the matter of an awkward handshake with Mr Macron's wife, Brigitte. Mr Trump commented on camera: "“You’re in such great shape,” before turning to Mr Macron to repeat the compliment.
"Beautiful" he said as Ms Macron can be seen backing away a bit behind First Lady Melania Trump who had her hand on Ms Macron's shoulder. "Beautiful" he said as Ms Macron can be seen backing away a bit behind First Lady Melania Trump who had her hand on Ms Macron's shoulder. 
The two leaders took questions about Russia as well, specifically about Donald Trump Jr's meeting with a Russian lawyer in June 2016. The two leaders took questions about Russia as well, specifically about Donald Trump Jr's meeting with a Russian lawyer in June 2016. 
The FBI, Congress, and Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller are all investigating alleged ties between Mr Trump's campaign team and Russian officials to determine if a foreign government interfered with the 2016 US election.  The FBI, Congress, and Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller are all investigating alleged ties between Mr Trump's campaign team and Russian officials to determine if a foreign government interfered with the 2016 US election. 
Mr Trump had a one-on-one meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit during which differing accounts emerged about the conversation, with Mr Putin saying that Mr Trump accepted Moscow's denial of election hacking. Mr Trump had a one-on-one meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit during which differing accounts emerged about the conversation, with Mr Putin saying that Mr Trump accepted Moscow's denial of election hacking.
For several months, Trump aides have been denying collusion between the campaign team and continue to do so though the President's namesake son has released emails confirming his meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya.  For several months, Trump aides have been denying collusion between the campaign team and continue to do so, despite the President's namesake son releasing emails confirming his meeting with a Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya. 
More follows… At first, the President's eldest son said the 9 June meeting with her was about the Magnitsky Act, a US law that blacklists suspected Russian human rights abusers, according to the New York Times.
  However, he changed his statement on 9 July 2017 to say that he took the meeting at the request of a contact from the the Trump-owned 2013 Miss Universe pageant that took place in Moscow - "the woman stated that she had information that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Committee and supporting Hillary Clinton." 
He also confirmed that then-campaign manager Paul Manafort and White House aide and husband of Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, were both told the purpose of the meeting and were present for it. 
Mr Trump, defending his son, said "most people would have taken that meeting".
"She was a not a government lawyer, but a Russian lawyer," the President said, adding that "it's called opposition research". 
He claimed he has had several people call up and say they had information about opponents in his two years in politics, "that's very standard in politics...it's not the nicest business in the world". 
Mr Trump then shifted focus, pointing out that Ms Veselnitskaya was roaming the halls of Congress on that same US trip, with a visa approved by President Obama's Department of Justice. 
The woman seen by some as a Moscow insider was let in to the US without a proper visa under under “extraordinary circumstances”.
Video footage from just five days after her meeting with Mr Trump Jr shows Ms Veselnitskaya in the front row of a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Russia policy. She also reportedly attended a dinner on Capitol Hill with Republican Congressman Dana Rohrbacher that same week. 
"Zero happened from the meeting and honestly I think the press made a very big deal of it," said Mr Trump after his son also said no information was gleaned from the meeting.
Mr Macron said he did not want to comment on the domestic affairs of another country but pointed out that though France and Russia have "many disagreements" it was necessary to work together, especially regarding the situation in Syria.