Trump again blames Paris climate accord for France yellow vest protests

The president of the United States reiterated Saturday that the supposed unpopularity of the Paris climate agreement was to blame for violent nationwide protests in France against higher fuel taxes and lower living standards.

Donald Trump weighed in on the gilets jaunes (yellow vests) demonstrations, which once again turned violent on Saturday in Paris and left around 30 injured and hundreds arrested.

Anti-riot police used tear gas against protesters who had set some vehicles on fire and erected barricades on Parisian streets.

“The Paris Agreement isn’t working out so well for Paris. Protests and riots all over France. People do not want to pay large sums of money, much to third world countries (that are questionably run), in order to maybe protect the environment. Chanting ‘We Want Trump!’ Love France,” the US head of state wrote.

The president had claimed Tuesday on Twitter that the yellow vest protests - and the move Tuesday by French President Emmanuel Macron ‘s administration to suspend the planned fuel-tax hike - showed that he had acted wisely last year in announcing the US’ intent to withdraw from the 2015 climate deal.

“I am glad that my friend @EmmanuelMacron and the protestors in Paris have agreed with the conclusion I reached two years ago. The Paris Agreement is fatally flawed because it raises the price of energy for responsible countries while whitewashing some of the worst polluters in the world,” Trump wrote.

The gilets jaunes are so named because they wear the fluorescent yellow hazard vests that all French motorists must keep in their cars.

Even after pressuring Macron to reverse course on the fuel tax, the gilets jaunes movement is continuing with a more general focus on the decline in purchasing power by people in rural and suburban areas.