U.S. President Donald Trump has promised “a big decision” on the Paris climate agreement in the next two weeks.
He spoke on his 100th day in office, at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in an arena that holds up to 10,000 people.
Early in the president’s speech, a protester was tackled and removed from the audience.
“Get him out of here,” the president said, while the audience cheered.
Trump also touted “great relationships” with nations such as China and the United Kingdom. Listing his achievements, he mentioned the confirmation of Supreme Court Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch. Trump mistakenly referred to Gorsuch as “Chief Justice.” The U.S. chief justice is John Roberts.
Earlier in the day, Trump signed an executive order at a shovel factory in central Pennsylvania, directing his administration to review the nation’s trade agreements. The order aims to determine whether the U.S. is being treated equitably by its trading partners in the 164-nation World Trade Organization.
White House correspondents
Also Saturday, the White House Correspondents’ Association in Washington held its annual charity dinner, a black-tie occasion that has earned the nickname “Nerd Prom.” The nickname plays on Washington’s reputation for politics and policy than for glitz and glamour.
For the first time since the 1980s, the U.S. president is not attending the dinner, an affair that usually features jokes at the president’s expense. Trump boycotted this year’s dinner, citing his contempt for the media.
“I hope they have a good dinner,” he tweeted. “Ours is going to be much more exciting.”
Later, at the rally, he said, “I could not possibly be more thrilled to be more than 100 miles away from Washington’s swamp.”
In his weekly radio address, Trump said the first 100 days of his administration have been “just about the most successful in our country’s history.”
Trump said his administration is bringing back auto manufacturing jobs to the rust belt states of Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania and has created “tens of thousands of jobs” with his approval of two oil pipeline projects.
The president also said his decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership is protecting American jobs, and that his administration’s elimination of some federal regulations aims to “unleash job creation.”
In Pennsylvania, state Democratic Party Chairman Marcel Groen encouraged Trump opponents to join a counterprotest he said would be attended by national and local leaders and activists, including Democratic National Committee Vice Chair Michael Blake.
“We’ll rally to show Donald Trump that we will not stand idly by as he continues his attacks on the values we believe in,” Groen said in a statement.
Counter-rally
Since Trump has been president, Groen said, his accomplishments are “nonexistent” and Americans are “worse off.”
“During his first 100 days, Trump has spent more days on the golf course than he has spent protecting American workers,” Groen added.
Pennsylvania was a key state victory for Trump in the November election, becoming the first Republican presidential candidate to carry the state since 1988.
His visit to Pennsylvania came on the same day tens of thousands of activists marched in more than 300 cities, including Washington, in an effort to draw support for climate-related causes.
Protesters, who have condemned what they see as the administration’s lack of concern for environmental issues, marched from the U.S. Capitol to the White House, where they held a rally.
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