What international climate agreement did the United States officially withdraw from on January 27, 2026?

The international climate agreement the United States officially withdrew from on January 27, 2026, was the Paris Agreement. This landmark accord, adopted by nearly 200 nations in 2015, serves as a global framework for addressing climate change by committing countries to set and pursue ambitious goals to limit global warming and adapt to its impacts. Its core aim is to keep the rise in global average temperature well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, while striving to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The United States has had a complex and shifting relationship with the Paris Agreement. It initially joined the agreement under President Barack Obama. However, the first Trump administration announced its intent to withdraw, with the withdrawal officially taking effect on November 4, 2020. President Joe Biden then rejoined the agreement on his first day in office in January 2021, with the US formally re-entering in February 2021. The withdrawal on January 27, 2026, marks a second departure from the agreement, initiated by President Donald Trump shortly after his second inauguration in January 2025, with the formal notification leading to the effective withdrawal one year later.

This repeated disengagement from the Paris Agreement carries significant implications for global climate efforts. Countries withdrawing from the agreement often cite concerns about its potential economic impact and issues of national sovereignty. Such moves can affect international cooperation on climate action and raise questions about the consistency of a major global power's commitment to tackling the pressing challenges of climate change.