Elon Musk has threatened to withdraw from President Donald Trump’s advisory councils if Trump pulls the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement.
Asked on Twitter what he would do should the President go through with his expected decision to leave the agreement, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said that he “will have no choice but to depart [the] councils in that case.”
The question emerged as a response to Musk’s initial tweet on Wednesday in which he said that he has already tried to advise Trump to stick with the climate accord.
“Don’t know which way Paris will go, but I’ve done all I can to advise directly to POTUS, through others in WH & via councils, that we remain,” Musk tweeted.
Don't know which way Paris will go, but I've done all I can to advise directly to POTUS, through others in WH & via councils, that we remain
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 31, 2017
Trump earlier Wednesday tweeted that he will be making his decision on the Paris Accord “over the next few days.” Multiple reports suggest that the President is prepared to withdraw from the landmark agreement signed by 195 nations that seeks to limit increases in global temperature levels.
Musk is on several of Trump’s advisory councils, including the President’s manufacturing jobs council, his strategic and policy forum, and his infrastructure council.
The Silicon Valley titan came under fire from some activists who criticized his presence on the councils. While Uber CEO Travis Kalanick ended up stepping down from the strategy and policy forum in the face of such criticism, Musk defended his role, saying that his attendance does not mean he shares political views with the President and that “engaging on critical issues will on balance serve the greater good.”
