When President Trump was elected in 2016, he made it clear that the U.S would stop all participation in the 2015 Paris Agreement, as part of his policy to put the (U.S) economy first. Formal notice of the withdrawal was made on November 4, 2019, which requires a 12-month notice period.

The timing of the 2020 election, with November being the election month, the climate crisis was at the center of the campaign trail. Democratic Presidential Nominee, Joe Biden, stated he would immediately rejoin the agreement. While there may be an uphill battle to convince the U.S Senate, there is hope that America will re-engage.