It made the formal offer to the UN as a step towards a global deal in Paris in December.
The EU has already promised to cut its emissions by a roughly similar proportion.
Tuesday was the deadline for wealthy nations to make their offers – but some, such as Canada, have failed to submit in time.
The announcement was made on Twitter with the words: “America is taking steps to #ActOnClimate, and the world is joining us” – accompanied by a picture of the President in China.
The US announcement said: “The target is fair and ambitious. The United States has already undertaken substantial policy action to reduce its emissions. Additional action to achieve the 2025 target represents a substantial acceleration of the current pace of greenhouse gas emission reductions.