Pittsburgh mayor fires back after Trump invokes Steel City in Paris accord withdrawal

President Trump zeroed in on western Pennsylvania in his announcement Thursday that he would withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord.

“I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris,” he said in remarks delivered in the White House rose garden.

But those in the Steel City were quick to distance themselves from the president’s controversial decision, including Mayor Bill Peduto, who tweeted his support for the multination pact to fight global warming and reminded Trump that Pittsburgh backed his rival, Hillary Clinton, on Election Day.

“Fact: Hillary Clinton received 80% of the vote in Pittsburgh,” Peduto, a Democrat, tweeted shortly after Trump’s speech. “Pittsburgh stands with the world & will follow Paris Agreement.”

Peduto further reiterated his disagreement with the president, tweeting, “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.”

Trump’s announcement puts the U.S. alongside Syria and Nicaragua as the only three countries on earth not participating in the Paris climate accord.

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Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, a Democrat, also took issue with the president’s shoutout to Pittsburgh.

“If @realDonaldTrump really wanted to help the people of Pittsburgh, he would protect their clean air & opportunity for jobs,” Casey tweeted, adding that “Earlier this year I held a town hall in Pittsburgh & the residents in attendance called for action on climate change.”

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo also tweeted in solidarity with Pittsburgh.

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