Global Geopolitical Series: G7 meeting ends in ugly disarray

It was widely expected that the world leaders at the G7 meeting wouldn’t be able to find a common ground in many issues such as climate change and trade agreements as President Trump has remained adamant over reducing U.S. trade deficit by changing the trade agreement, which according to the President is hurting the United States. However, no one expected it to take an ugly turn.

Just after President Trump left the G-7 meeting early to reach Singapore to prepare for the Kim Jong Un meeting, Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada announced speaking at a press conference that Canada will not bow down to President Trump’s demands including the sunset clause for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In addition to that, he announced that Canada will announce retaliation against U.S. metal tariffs (25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on Aluminum imports) shortly.

The announcement from Prime Minister Trudeau seems to have angered and irritated President Trump, who took to Twitter to vent his rage and there it took the ugly turn. President Trump tweeted, “Based on Justin’s false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our U.S. farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our U.S. Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the U.S. Market!...... PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that, “US Tariffs were kind of insulting” and he “will not be pushed around.” Very dishonest & weak. Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270% on dairy!”

This is the first time, a sitting U.S. President has accused the head of its closest neighbor Canada of dishonesty and lying. However, the ugliness didn’t end there; President Trump’s top aides, Larry Kudlow and Peter Navarro accused the Prime Minister of betrayal and a stab in the back of the United States. Mr. Peter Navarro, the President’s advisor and director of trade and industrial policy even added that there is a special place for hell for any foreign leaders who engage in bad faith diplomacy with President Trump and Mr. Trudeau made the worst political miscalculation in modern Canadian history.

In response to the situation, European Council President Donald Tusk, who was at the G7 meeting, tweeted, “There is a special place in heaven for @JustinTrudeau. Canada, thank you for the perfect organisation of G7!”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel used others’ words to call the U.S. President confused. Merkel retweeted a comment from Dorry Pack, “#Trump words may stimulate #EU States acting in solidarity. Together we can face challenges from aggressive Russia+ "confused" USA president”.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the newly elected Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte showed more restraint by not getting dragged into the feud.