Some people refer to President Donald Trump’s jettisoning the Paris climate accord as a leadership failure, but we prefer to call it a return to American exceptionalism. This week, Syria — which up until now had been the only other holdout besides the U.S. — declared that it would partner with other Paris treaty participants. This means the U.S. is literally the sole exception to the rule. Of course, in terms of leadership, it also means a return to American exceptionalism (not that Syria’s non-committal had anything to do with leadership).

According to Union of Concerned Scientists’ Alden Meyer, “Syria’s announcement that it will join the Paris agreement leaves President Trump in not-so-splendid isolation as a result of his irresponsible and ignorant decision to withdraw the United States from the most comprehensive effort ever to confront the mounting climate crisis.” The truth is that this is a treaty from which the U.S. is wisely isolating itself, because it’s ultimately a massive transfer of wealth. And since no nation is as wealthy as ours, the U.S. — by design — would feel a disproportionate affect.

Syria’s timing coincides with a “bombshell” climate report that came out Friday. The report definitively blames humans for global warming and predicts an array of catastrophes like more extreme rains, more extreme temperatures and more extreme forest fires (we’re detecting a theme…). Put all this together, and the Leftmedia was shocked to learn that the Trump administration remains steadfast on deregulation. “EPA’s Pruitt vows to continue rolling back rules despite alarming climate report,” a USA Today headline blared. Good!

It’s tough to be the only nation refusing to join what leftists call a “critical measure,” but it’s the right decision — one that takes guts. Transferring wealth won’t mitigate global warming, nor will it fix the ills of the world. It’s going to take a lot more than that. Namely, a return to American exceptionalism.