I need a nap.
Here’s all the shit we couldn’t cover today:
- After President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, Vice President Mike Pence appeared on Fox and Friends to defend the decision. “For some reason, this issue of climate change has emerged as a paramount issue for the left, in this country and around the world,” Pence said in the interview. He added that the Paris Accord placed a “real burden” on the American economy, arguing that the administration has “demonstrated real leadership” and “real progress” on the issue. [Fox News]
- During a press conference this morning, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt refused to elaborate on whether or not Trump believes in climate change. “All the discussions we had through the last several weeks had been focused on one singular issue: Is Paris good or not for this country?” Pruitt said of the administration’s decision to exit the Paris climate accord. Citing an op-ed column by New York Times writer Bret Stephen, Pruitt described his own views as skeptical. [The Hill]
- Kellyanne Conway also declined to answer when asked if the President believes climate change is a hoax. [ABC]
- A group of cities, states, universities, and private business are trying to enter the Paris climate agreement despite the administration’s decision to exit. [New York Times]
- The European Union rejected Trump’s request to renegotiate the Paris climate agreement and will instead “bypass Washington” to work directly with US mayors, governors and businesses. [The Guardian]
- Sean Spicer refused to say whether or not President Trump will invoke executive privilege to block former FBI Director James Comey from testifying in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee next week. [Talking Points Memo]
- Kellyanne Conway also skirted the question of executive privilege and Comey. “Well, we’ll be watching with the rest of the world when Director Comey testifies,” she said in an interview with Good Morning America. “The last time he testified under oath, the FBI had to scurry to correct that testimony. He was off by hundreds of thousands in his count—his sworn testimony count — of the number of emails that Huma Abedin allegedly sent to her husband, Anthony Weiner,” she added. Never change, Kellyanne. [GMA/ABC]
- Trump’s command of the basics of American Christianity is unsurprisingly poor. [CNN]
- Beginning in 2011, former President Barack Obama issued a proclamation declaring every June Pride Month but (unsurprisingly) Trump has yet to do so. [Politico]
- Here’s an odd piece on Ivanka Trump if you care. [Politico]
Here are some tweets the president was allowed to publish:
This has been Barf Bag.