Donald Trump’s announcement that the US will withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change was a speech riddled with errors, mistruths and fudged statistics.
Yet the most telling comment wasn’t about climate change at all.
In what appeared to be one of many unscripted and meandering musings, the President said:
“Our tax bill is moving along in Congress, and I believe it's doing very well. I think a lot of people will be very pleasantly surprised.”
- Donald Trump, 01/06/17
He’s right on one count - people would be surprised because there actually is no tax bill.
Neither the House nor the Senate has been presented with a tax bill and the White House hasn’t even released a plan detailed enough to allow for its assessment by financial experts.
The President of the United States appears to have no idea what he’s talking about.
World leaders have roundly condemned Trump’s decision to pull out of the accord.
German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, said: “This decision can’t and won’t stop all those of us who feel obliged to protect the planet.
“On the contrary. We in Germany, Europe and the world will combine our forces more resolutely than ever to address and successfully tackle challenges for humanity such as climate change.”
If you’re not yet up to speed on the rest of the speech from yesterday, here’s a rundown of the 11 most batshit moments.