House Democrats head to U.N. climate talks on donor money as Trump sends no delegation

Nineteen House Democrats are due in Antalya, Turkey, from Saturday, Nov. 14, through Monday, Nov. 16, for the United Nations climate summit known as COP31. That is according to the group helping to pay for the trip ³. The State Department refused them the help it usually gives members of Congress who travel abroad, so they turned to private philanthropic money, The Guardian reported ¹.

The Trump administration sent no one at all. This is the second year in a row that the United States has had no official delegation at the yearly talks. They opened Nov. 9 and run through Nov. 20 ⁴. COP stands for "Conference of the Parties," the yearly meeting of the nations under the U.N. climate treaty. Negotiators from close to 200 countries are there ³.

Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois announced the delegation the day after Democrats won the midterms. He said the lawmakers would play an "important diplomatic function" at the summit ⁶. Talking to The Guardian about the funding problem, he said: "I'm glad we found a way to get there, but it is insane" ¹.

We have a lot of rebuilding to do. It hinges on Congress to maintain diplomatic continuities at Cop and minimize the damage until adults are back in the White House.

What the White House says

A White House official said the summit "rejects reality by failing to acknowledge that extremist climate policies are destroying countries around the world" ⁴. The administration says it is focused instead on an "energy dominance agenda" ⁴.

From Channel GOPWhitehouse reads Grassley's own words on probing CongressSheldon Whitehouse · 2.5K plays · captioned, with the source named

That fits what President Trump has said himself. Speaking at the U.N. last year, he called the climate crisis "the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world" and warned other nations ¹:

If you don't get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail

The Paris Agreement is the 2015 global pact to hold warming well below 2 degrees Celsius. The U.S. signed it at the start, but Trump has pulled out twice, most recently in January 2025 ⁴. The U.S. formally left in January 2026. In February it is set to become the first country to quit the U.N. climate treaty itself ², which makes COP31 the last summit where the U.S. is an official member ³.

Kerry: the U.S. will be back

Former Secretary of State John Kerry, who was President Biden's climate envoy, spoke to a full session of the summit ³. He said the U.S. would soon return to a leading role on climate ². He admitted the world had agreed "1.5 degrees was the target, and we have not delivered." And he said anyone who still calls climate change a hoax "should not be serving in public office" ².

"This is what makes it so damn frustrating," Kerry said ².

Solving this challenge is not a mystery. We know what to do.

NPR reported that Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat, was expected to attend. He and the other Democratic lawmakers plan to focus on fossil fuels and a possible carbon pricing system, meaning a fee on carbon pollution ⁵.

It cannot remain free for the fossil fuel industry to pollute if we want to have any chance of a pathway to climate safety

States, cities and critics

State and local officials are going too. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is one of the leaders of a coalition that the U.S. Climate Alliance says will bring more than 120 state and local officials ⁴. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that he will lead his own state's delegation ³.

Conservative groups are critical. Craig Rucker of the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow called the House trip "political theater that is disconnected from both the recent election and the real-world costs" of the climate agenda ³. Politico had reported that two Republicans were expected to go, but The Guardian reported that every member of Congress arriving is a Democrat ³.

Why it matters at home

In 2025, U.S. emissions grew more than any other country's, rising by about 133 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. Rising demand for electricity and a comeback in coal power drove the increase ². In the same year, the other 20 major economies cut their emissions or slowed their growth ¹.

Global emissions from fossil fuels are expected to fall 0.4% this year, to 38.2 billion tonnes. That would be the first drop since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it comes from soaring oil prices and the closing of the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war ². Scientists warn that such a drop won't last. Pierre Friedlingstein, one of the report's authors, said "a reduction driven partly by geopolitical shocks is not a sustainable climate solution" ².

That matters because the costs land at home. "There are things around the cost of gas, or housing and insurance that are climate conversations even if we don't mention climate," Casten told The Guardian ¹.

There are limits to what the new Democratic majorities can do. Trump can veto bills, so sweeping climate laws are unlikely, The Guardian reported. Instead, Democrats plan to use their power to investigate and issue subpoenas, including over staff cuts at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and clean energy money the administration has held back. They are also expected to use the budget process to undo some environmental funding cuts ¹. "We are going to do everything – oversight, legislation and action through the courts," Casten said ¹.

Rachel Cleetus of the Union of Concerned Scientists, a science advocacy group, said Democrats must "do more than hold the line." "The science is sobering. It's not going to wait for the next election cycle," she said ¹. The House delegation plans a press conference in Antalya on Nov. 16 ³.

The Record

1. Nov 4, 2026Rep. Sean Casten announces a 19-member House delegation to COP31 a day after the Democrats' midterm victory ⁶.
2. Nov 9, 2026COP31 opens in Antalya, Turkey, with no official U.S. delegation for the second year in a row ⁴.
3. Nov 10, 2026John Kerry tells COP31 the United States will soon return to a leadership role on climate ².
4. Nov 12, 2026Reports say the House Democrats are traveling with help from the SEEC Institute after being denied the usual State Department support ¹³.
5. Nov 14, 2026The House Democratic delegation is due in Antalya, staying through Nov. 16 ³.

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<h2>House Democrats head to U.N. climate talks on donor money as Trump sends no delegation</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files National Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/house-democrats-head-to-u-n-climate-talks-on-donor-money-as-trump-sends-no-delegation">The GOP Files</a> on Thursday, November 12, 2026.</em></p> <p>Nineteen House Democrats are due in Antalya, Turkey, from Saturday, Nov. 14, through Monday, Nov. 16, for the United Nations climate summit known as COP31. That is according to the group helping to pay for the trip . The State Department refused them the help it usually gives members of Congress who travel abroad, so they turned to private philanthropic money, The Guardian reported .</p> <p>The Trump administration sent no one at all. This is the second year in a row that the United States has had no official delegation at the yearly talks. They opened Nov. 9 and run through Nov. 20 . COP stands for &quot;Conference of the Parties,&quot; the yearly meeting of the nations under the U.N. climate treaty. Negotiators from close to 200 countries are there .</p> <p>Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois announced the delegation the day after Democrats won the midterms. He said the lawmakers would play an &quot;important diplomatic function&quot; at the summit . Talking to The Guardian about the funding problem, he said: &quot;I&#39;m glad we found a way to get there, but it is insane&quot; .</p> <blockquote><p>We have a lot of rebuilding to do. It hinges on Congress to maintain diplomatic continuities at Cop and minimize the damage until adults are back in the White House.</p><p>&mdash; Sean Casten, U.S. representative, D-Ill.</p></blockquote> <h2>What the White House says</h2> <p>A White House official said the summit &quot;rejects reality by failing to acknowledge that extremist climate policies are destroying countries around the world&quot; . The administration says it is focused instead on an &quot;energy dominance agenda&quot; .</p> <p>That fits what President Trump has said himself. Speaking at the U.N. last year, he called the climate crisis &quot;the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world&quot; and warned other nations :</p> <blockquote><p>If you don&#39;t get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail</p><p>&mdash; Donald Trump, President of the United States, Republican (remarks at the U.N. last year)</p></blockquote> <p>The Paris Agreement is the 2015 global pact to hold warming well below 2 degrees Celsius. The U.S. signed it at the start, but Trump has pulled out twice, most recently in January 2025 . The U.S. formally left in January 2026. In February it is set to become the first country to quit the U.N. climate treaty itself , which makes COP31 the last summit where the U.S. is an official member .</p> <h2>Kerry: the U.S. will be back</h2> <p>Former Secretary of State John Kerry, who was President Biden&#39;s climate envoy, spoke to a full session of the summit . He said the U.S. would soon return to a leading role on climate . He admitted the world had agreed &quot;1.5 degrees was the target, and we have not delivered.&quot; And he said anyone who still calls climate change a hoax &quot;should not be serving in public office&quot; .</p> <p>&quot;This is what makes it so damn frustrating,&quot; Kerry said .</p> <blockquote><p>Solving this challenge is not a mystery. We know what to do.</p><p>&mdash; John Kerry, Former U.S. secretary of state and presidential climate envoy, Democrat</p></blockquote> <p>NPR reported that Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat, was expected to attend. He and the other Democratic lawmakers plan to focus on fossil fuels and a possible carbon pricing system, meaning a fee on carbon pollution .</p> <blockquote><p>It cannot remain free for the fossil fuel industry to pollute if we want to have any chance of a pathway to climate safety</p><p>&mdash; Sheldon Whitehouse, U.S. senator, D-R.I.</p></blockquote> <h2>States, cities and critics</h2> <p>State and local officials are going too. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is one of the leaders of a coalition that the U.S. Climate Alliance says will bring more than 120 state and local officials . California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that he will lead his own state&#39;s delegation .</p> <p>Conservative groups are critical. Craig Rucker of the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow called the House trip &quot;political theater that is disconnected from both the recent election and the real-world costs&quot; of the climate agenda . Politico had reported that two Republicans were expected to go, but The Guardian reported that every member of Congress arriving is a Democrat .</p> <h2>Why it matters at home</h2> <p>In 2025, U.S. emissions grew more than any other country&#39;s, rising by about 133 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. Rising demand for electricity and a comeback in coal power drove the increase . In the same year, the other 20 major economies cut their emissions or slowed their growth .</p> <p>Global emissions from fossil fuels are expected to fall 0.4% this year, to 38.2 billion tonnes. That would be the first drop since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it comes from soaring oil prices and the closing of the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war . Scientists warn that such a drop won&#39;t last. Pierre Friedlingstein, one of the report&#39;s authors, said &quot;a reduction driven partly by geopolitical shocks is not a sustainable climate solution&quot; .</p> <p>That matters because the costs land at home. &quot;There are things around the cost of gas, or housing and insurance that are climate conversations even if we don&#39;t mention climate,&quot; Casten told The Guardian .</p> <p>There are limits to what the new Democratic majorities can do. Trump can veto bills, so sweeping climate laws are unlikely, The Guardian reported. Instead, Democrats plan to use their power to investigate and issue subpoenas, including over staff cuts at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and clean energy money the administration has held back. They are also expected to use the budget process to undo some environmental funding cuts . &quot;We are going to do everything – oversight, legislation and action through the courts,&quot; Casten said .</p> <p>Rachel Cleetus of the Union of Concerned Scientists, a science advocacy group, said Democrats must &quot;do more than hold the line.&quot; &quot;The science is sobering. It&#39;s not going to wait for the next election cycle,&quot; she said . The House delegation plans a press conference in Antalya on Nov. 16 .</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/house-democrats-head-to-u-n-climate-talks-on-donor-money-as-trump-sends-no-delegation">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/house-democrats-head-to-u-n-climate-talks-on-donor-money-as-trump-sends-no-delegation.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. The Guardian (via Finwire), “Democrats to attend Cop31 climate talks boosted by midterms and eager to make up for Trump-era setbacks” (2026-11-09). finwire.io/news/politics-news/democrats-to-attend-cop31-clim
2. Health Policy Watch, “John Kerry Tells COP31 the US Will Return to Climate Fight as Iran War Drives Surprise Dip in Fossil Fuel Emissions” (2026-11-10). healthpolicy-watch.news/john-kerry-cop31-us-will-return-clim
3. Daily Caller, “Democrats Lean On Green Group To Reach UN Climate Talks Without Trump” (2026-11-12). dailycaller.com/2026/11/12/cop31-house-democrats-seec-instit
4. Spectrum News, “U.N. climate conference opens in Turkey with no U.S. delegation again” (2026-11-09). spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/triad/environment/2026/11/09/cop31-
5. NPR (via KUOW), “U.N. climate talks begin today. Here are 3 things to know” (2026-11-09). kuow.org/npr-news/2026-11-09/u-n-climate-talks-begin-today-h
6. AFP (via Al-Monitor), “US lawmakers will go to UN climate talks in Turkey” (2026-11-04). al-monitor.com/originals/2026/11/us-lawmakers-will-go-un-cli

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