Billionaire innovator Elon Musk threatened to withdraw from President Trump’s Business Advisory Council if the White House withdraws from an international agreement aimed at curbing climate change.
Billionaire innovator Elon Musk threatened to withdraw from President Trump’s Business Advisory Council if the White House withdraws from an international agreement aimed at curbing climate change.
The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX had previously defended his decision to remain on the panel of advisers, arguing that it’s better to have a seat at the table than to withdraw altogether and lack a voice on key issues.
But he drew the line at the possibility that Trump will abandon the Paris climate-change agreement, which President Obama’s administration endorsed as a key step toward combating the global threat of rising temperatures.
« Will have no choice but to depart councils in that case, » Musk tweeted Wednesday in response to a question from a follower.
In an earlier tweet, he said: « 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. »
A Tesla spokesperson declined to comment further on Musk’s tweet.
Asked whether Musk is a trusted adviser of the president, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said « the president has a lot of people that he gets input from on a lot of issues. »
Though he opposed Trump’s election, Musk faced scrutiny for sticking by the council after Trump took office. Embattled tech contemporary and Uber CEO Travis Kalanick withdrew after Trump’s temporary travel ban on people from certain countries in the Middle East stirred controversy. Musk said at the time that he would seek a consensus of fellow council members on recommendations for changes that could be suggested to Trump.
But Musk has long held climate change as a personal passion topic, even positioning Tesla as a beacon of hope because its electric vehicles do not generate carbon emissions that cause global warming.
He said in February in connection with a trip to the White House that he wanted « to provide feedback on issues that I think are important for our country and the world. »
Contributing: Ledyard King.
Follow USA TODAY reporter Nathan Bomey on Twitter @ NathanBomey .
