Media reports Trump to re-enter US in Paris climate agreement — then Trump admin. responds

The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday that President Donald Trump is exploring avenues to not withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, citing comments from an international climate policy official at a global warming summit in Montreal.

What did the official say?

European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete said: "The U.S. has stated that they will not renegotiate the Paris accord, but they will try to review the terms on which they could be engaged under this agreement."

4 things the WSJ reports

• U.S. reviewing climate goals: Senior White House aides are looking at the possibility of revising U.S. climate policy goals, which could put the U.S. back at the international climate change table and possibly weaken the Paris agreement.
• Canadian Environment Minister Catherine McKenna concurs: "We are pleased the U.S. continues to engage and recognize the economic opportunity of clean growth, including clean energy."
• A top U.S. official at the meeting "outlined a plan to reassure partners that the U.S. would be constructive, he did not provide clarity on the new emissions-reduction objective."
• It's more re-engagement, not just signing back on, a U.S. official said: "They are seriously considering the terms on which the U.S. could re-engage. They have also made clear that they have no intention to renegotiate or develop a parallel track to Paris."

How did the White House respond?

The Wall Street Journal's report suggests the Trump administration has completed a turnaround since June when Trump decided to withdraw the U.S. from the deal. But the White House unequivocally denied the reporting.

The White House said in a statement: "There has been no change in the United States' position on the Paris agreement. As the president has made abundantly clear, the United States is withdrawing unless we can re-enter on terms that are more favorable to our country."

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders later tweeted: