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It was no surprise that President Donald Trump pulled out of Paris.
He flagged it repeatedly during last year's campaign, and although he took his time to listen to the arguments to stay in, eventually he went with his favoured measure of what to do — his gut instinct.
This is about the Midwest — the flyover states, the forgotten people in America's manufacturing heartland who blame job losses on globalisation, the rise of China and excessive regulation.
Former president Barack Obama's climate change policies are central to their frustrations.
And so, it follows then, that Mr Trump announced the withdrawal in the White House Rose Garden on Thursday (local time).
Tellingly, chief White House strategist Steve Bannon was present, while daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared were not.
The official explanation was that both had other stuff on, but they were both against the decision to withdraw.
Waiting media sweltered in the boiling sun ahead of the event to the strains of a festive string quartet.
Goodbye rest of the world
Mr Trump thinks the Paris deal was a blight on the United States economy, stifling growth in a number of industries — such as paper, cement, steel, natural gas, and especially his beloved coal.
He argues that it exported jobs and allowed countries like China and India more favourable terms.
But that fails to recognise the fact that carbon emissions are several times higher per capita in the US than in either of those countries.
And that China is closing coal plants, while India's coal industry is collapsing due to cheaper and more environmentally friendly options.
Coal plants in the US are closing for the same reasons, as natural gas becomes a more viable energy source.
The other key criticism of the President's action is that it reverts to nationalist rhetoric about China stealing jobs and developing countries draining the pockets of US taxpayers, rather than recognising that climate change is a global responsibility.
Hence, headlines like this:
The decision leaves the US in the inauspicious company of Syria and Nicaragua, as the world's only nations not to be party to the deal.
Mr Obama's former foreign policy adviser Ben Rhodes had this to say:
EPA administrator Scott Pruitt supposedly played a big part in the decision:
It goes against the views of many of the biggest companies in the US.
Tesla boss Elon Musk, who was an informal adviser to the President, said he's left Mr Trump's cohort.
Other big companies in the United States are disappointed, including the chairman and chief executive officer of General Electric:
And while the President said he was "elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh not Paris", the mayor of Pittsburgh had this to say:
How do you pronounce Covfefe?
The President also SAID this:
Yep. And, you know, when you think about it, there probably isn't a word to better sum up the first four months of Mr Trump's presidency, which really does defy definition.
So, how do you say that?
Don't hurt yourselves guys.
For the definitive answer, The Associated Press has you covered.
It's "cuv-fey-fey". Apparently.
Beyond pronunciation, far too much time was spent on trying to figure out what it meant after this challenge from Mr Trump.
Here's Democratic senator Al Franken:
Philadelphia Police were in on the joke too:
According to press secretary Sean Spicer, only a small group know the truth.
It got old pretty quickly though. This guy bought the number plate:
And you know when something's funny and you try to work out the exact point when it was no longer funny? Well, for "Covfefe", here it is:
Donald Trump Jr fought back with a pretty good zinger of his own:
Ouch.
So, to more pressing matters, like, say, Russia
Ex-FBI director James Comey will face the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday.
It's expected that the central topic of discussion will be the allegation that Mr Comey was pressured by Mr Trump to drop the investigation into the President's former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
Mr Comey will also face questions over what else he told the President during their conversations.
It should be an interesting day to say the least.
In other Russia news, the headlines now should be who's not embroiled in the Russia investigations.
Note these developments this week:
In other stuff this week
Status Quo — The President elected to leave the US Embassy in Tel Aviv rather than moving it to Jerusalem as foreshadowed, signing a waiver to keep it where it is for the moment.
It was a controversial proposal that risked alienating Muslim allies, something the President wants to avoid as he attempts to restart peace talks.
Funny, Not — Comedian Kathy Griffin has been sacked from CNN, having been roundly condemned for taking part in a photoshoot in which she held the severed, bloody head of a Donald Trump dummy.
In an error of judgement beyond belief, Griffin and photographer Tyler Shields released the photo in the name of political satire. It backfired big time.
White House waiving — The White House issued a series of waivers for staffers to interact with private sector colleagues or to work on policy areas they lobbied in before. This includes Mr Bannon.
Coming Home — The Trump administration moved to hand back Russian compounds in the US that were seized by the Obama administration due to the hacking stoush.
Seems odd.
Speaking of Obama
The former president is staying put in Washington for another couple of years.
He and Michelle have bought their current rental in the DC suburb of Kalorama for $US8.1 million, according to The Washington Post.
And finally …
Planning a weekend jog? Try out this House of Cards playlist from Spotify.
Are you more of a Frank Underwood, sweating it out on the rower to Everybody Wants to Rule the World?
Or Claire Underwood in her black skins, running in the dark to The End of the Innocence?
That's your wrap. Next week, the upshot of James Comey's testimony.
Hold onto your hats.
Topics: world-politics, government-and-politics, climate-change, environment, donald-trump, community-and-society, united-states
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