McNally hits CNN to discuss Trump's Youngstown shout-out

YOUNGSTOWN — On CNN today, Mayor John A. McNally discussed President Donald Trump mention of Youngstown when explaining the United States withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement.

“I feel sort of funny criticizing the president today, but we are a little bit confused how we got thrown into the discussion of the Paris accords,” McNally said during a four-minute interview. “The U.S. withdrawal from the agreement is not going to create more jobs in the Youngstown area. It’s not going to create jobs in Mahoning County.”

He added: “So we would certainly urge the president to reconsider his decision. But at the same time we will take whatever help he can provide to us.”

McNally, a Democrat, told The Vindicator on Thursday: “Nothing about the U.S. withdrawal would seem to indicate any form of job creation for the city of Youngstown. The Trump administration has never discussed how the withdrawal would better the lives of Youngstown residents. So while it’s nice to hear our city’s name, there is no substance to the thought of putting us with other cities before Paris.”

During his CNN interview, McNally took the opportunity to tout the construction in recent years of three downtown apartment buildings and a hotel and city court house both under construction that are all “energy-efficient buildings.”