Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein sent his first ever tweet on Thursday, and it was a direct criticism of President Trump's decision to withrdaw the US from the Paris Agreement.
Today's decision is a setback for the environment and for the U.S.'s leadership position in the world. #ParisAgreement
While Goldman Sachs was not alone in the corporate world or even among large banks in supporting the 2015 international climate change agreement, few financial leaders have publicly criticized the decision to withdraw in the hours since Trump's announcement.
A spokesperson for Goldman Sachs confirmed that the account is Blankfein's. The account was unverified at the time of the tweet; he has since earned his blue checkmark.
In May, Blankfein had signed a letter, along with 29 other large companies and CEOs, in support of the agreement. "Based on our vast experience doing business all over the world, we believe there is strong potential for negative trade implications if the United States exits from the Paris Agreement," the letter said.
His former number two at Goldman Sachs, Gary Cohn, was sitting in the front row as Trump announced the withdrawal. As the head of the National Economic Council in the White House, Cohn has become one of Trump's most important advisors — and the most senior Wall Street figure in an administration that has hired heavily from the financial world.
Cohn reportedly opposed Trump's decision to withdraw, but nevertheless watched on as the nationalist wing of Trump's White House declared victory in the Rose Garden.