WASHINGTON — President Trump has withdrawn the United States from the international Paris climate change accord, sought to roll back or weaken over 80 environmental regulations and, when it comes to what historian Douglas Brinkley calls “environmental stewardship,” Mr. Trump is seen “around the world as a Darth Vader-like figure.”But Monday afternoon, Mr. Trump is scheduled to deliver a speech billed as “America’s Environmental Leadership.” He will be flanked by his two senior environmental officials — one a former lobbyist for the coal industry and the other who once worked for big oil. Short of announcing a 180-degree policy pivot, it is unclear what Mr. Trump’s argument will be or why he would be giving it now. But the idea for the speech did not start with the president: It started with consultants on his re-election campaign who have discovered that his environmental record was a definite turnoff to two key demographics — millennials and suburban women, according to two people familiar with the plans. In an administration that has often had a muddled approach to policy, both Mr. Trump’s allies and enemies agree that in launching the rollback of environmental rules he has clearly delivered on his campaign promises. And in his speech, he is expected to tout that rollback as part of what administration officials say is a common-sense approach to the environment that could appeal to at least some of the voters unhappy with his record.

Source: International New York Times July 08, 2019 17:26 UTC