As President Trump flirts with pulling the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord, prominent business leaders allied with the White House are speaking out in disapproval. But speaking out doesn’t appear to be enough for Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who threatened to depart the White House business council on which he sits if the U.S. pulls out of the agreement.
Musk was named to the “President’s Strategic and Policy Forum” last December, and his threat to depart the council is unlikely to spook Trump. Still, pressure to remain in the deal from the business world can’t hurt. And Musk is far from the only CEO to support the plan. Earlier this month, 30 CEOs signed a letter expressing “strong support for the United States remaining in the Paris Climate Agreement.”
As President Trump nears a decision on whether to stay in the accord, the appeals are getting more urgent. On Tuesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly called the White House to make his case in favor of the deal, and on Thursday, a letter supporting it signed by 25 companies will appear in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and New York Post.
Sure, it’s a Hail Mary. But if Trump is likely to listen to anyone, it’s a bunch of other rich guys.
