Overview
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom emerged as the top American presence at COP30 in Belém after the Trump administration declined to send a delegation.
- Newsom accused the administration of “doubling down on stupid” and warned the U.S. is ceding clean‑energy leadership to China, calling Trump an “invasive species” and “wrecking ball.”
- His office announced subnational pacts, including a wildfire prevention agreement with Pará, Brazil, and an MOU with Nigeria on sustainable urban transport, alongside events marking the Under2 Coalition.
- The White House rebuked the trip, with spokesperson Taylor Rogers calling it “embarrassing” and branding his agenda the “Green New Scam,” while defending Trump’s fossil‑fuel oriented policies.
- U.N. organizers said the United States is one of only four countries not represented at the talks, as Indigenous protesters forced entry to demand land rights and forest protections during the summit.