He dared opprobrium from foreign leaders, environmentalists, scientists and celebrities to say he was putting the jobs of American workers first.

'We don't want other leaders and other countries laughing at us any more. And they won't be. They won't be,' Trump declared. 'I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.'

Before he even sat down, his predecessor Barack Obama launched an all-out assault, saying Trump 'joins a small handful of nations that reject the future'. 

The leaders of France, Germany and Italy said the decision was 'regrettable' and that the deal was 'non-negotiable'. 

Elon Musk, the Tesla billionaire, said he was quitting advising the White House, tweeting: 'Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world.'