(Reuters) - World leaders, Democratic members of Congress and others deplored U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision on Thursday to pull out of the Paris climate accord, while supporters said the United States needed a more advantageous deal. Following are reactions to Trump’s announcement: “We deem the momentum generated in Paris in December 2015 irreversible and we firmly believe that the Paris Agreement cannot be renegotiated since it is a vital instrument for our planet, societies and economies.” - Joint statement from Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron “The nations that remain in the Paris Agreement will be the nations that reap the benefits in jobs and industries created.  I believe the United States of America should be at the front of the pack. But even in the absence of American leadership, even as this administration joins a small handful of nations that reject the future, I’m confident that our states, cities, and businesses will step up and do even more to lead the way and help protect for future generations the one planet we’ve got.” - Former U.S. President Barack Obama, who was in office when the accord took effect in November, in a statement “I tell you firmly tonight: We will not renegotiate a less ambitious accord. There is no way. ... Tonight the United States has turned its back on the world, but France will not turn its back on Americans. ... Wherever we live, wherever we are we all share the same responsibility - make our planet great again.” - Macron in an address with a variation on Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan “That deal imposes little responsibility on the world’s largest emitters, while costing the U.S. economy $3 trillion in reduced output, 6 million industrial jobs and 3 million manufacturing jobs. That amount of economic carnage is unjustified and so we welcome this long overdue action in defense of the American people.” - U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in a statement “Am departing presidential councils. Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world.” - Tesla and SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk, who had been on a White House advisory council, in a tweet “As a matter of principle, I’ve resigned from the President’s Council over the #ParisAgreement withdrawal.” - Disney Chairman and CEO Robert Iger on Twitter “Trump is betraying the country, in the service of Breitbart fake news, the shameless fossil fuel industry, and the Koch brothers’ climate denial operation. It’s sad.” - Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Environment Committee, in a statement   “As the Mayor of Pittsburgh, I can assure you that we will follow the guidelines of the Paris Agreement for our people, our economy & future ... Fact: Hillary Clinton received 80% of the vote in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh stands with the world & will follow Paris Agreement.” - Tweet from Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto in response to Trump saying: “I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.” “This was not a good deal for the United States. As the president said, we’ve been one of the leaders in reducing carbon, we’ve been reducing our emissions, we’ve been one of the best countries for the environment, and the president is committed to renegotiating the deal but a deal that’s fair for us.” - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin in a Fox News interview “Removing the United States from the Paris Agreement is a reckless and indefensible action. It undermines America’s standing in the world and threatens to damage humanity’s ability to solve the climate crisis in time. But make no mistake: if President Trump won’t lead, the American people will.” - Al Gore, former U.S. vice president turned environmental activist, in a statement  “Today’s decision is a setback for the environment and for the U.S.’s leadership position in the world.” - Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein in his first post from a Twitter account he started in 2011        “President Trump acted in America’s best interest, moving away from a flawed agreement ... and opening the door to a new agreement that reaches the right balance. America will remain a leader in environmental protection. But we will not jeopardize our economy in order to please other counties that don’t come anywhere near our environmental standards.” - Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, in a statement   “The White House’s reckless decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement has devastating repercussions not only for the United States but for our planet. The administration is abdicating its leadership and taking a backseat to other countries in the global fight against climate change.” - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, in a statement joining California Governor Jerry Brown and Washington Governor Jay Inslee in announcing the formation of an alliance of states committed to upholding the Paris agreement “This great leap backward is another bow to anti-science know-nothingism. Pandering to a handful of billionaires and special interests would impose huge harm upon our generation, upon future generations, and upon our fragile planet.” - Statement from Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy  “President Trump’s decision to withdraw from #ParisAgreement is a catastrophic mistake. We don’t have time to bury our heads in the sand. @POTUS is putting his friends in the fossil fuel industry ahead of the safety and security of American people and the future of our planet.” - Democratic Senator Al Franken in a tweet “We are deeply disappointed that the United States federal government has decided to withdraw from the Paris Agreement ... While the U.S. decision is disheartening, we remain inspired by the growing momentum around the world to combat climate change and transition to clean growth economies.” - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a statement “Without question, America is a nation committed to environmental leadership ... But the Paris Climate Accord is another bad deal negotiated by the Obama administration and America should applaud President Trump’s decision to exit.” - Energy mogul-financier T. Boone Pickens “Though flawed, the climate accord can be fixed ... It’s now up to the administration to deliver a better deal.” - Republican House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce in a statement “This is the day when the United States did a lot to forfeit its claim to be a leader among nations. ... We’re going to be poorer because we took this step. ... I never thought I would say these words but the president of the United States is a clear and present danger to an orderly global system.” - Lawrence Summers, former Obama economic adviser and World Bank official, in CNN interview “This decision is an immoral assault on the public health, safety and security of everyone on this planet ... I am committing to honor the goals of the Paris agreement with an executive order in the coming days, so our city can remain a home for generations to come.” - Statement from New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio “Disappointed with today’s decision on the Paris Agreement. Climate change is real. Industry must now lead and not depend on government.” - General Electric Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt on Twitter 
Factbox: Critics lament Trump climate move, supporters seek new deal