Trump blames ‘meek and mild’ PM for meeting’s failure
Backs out of communique after leaving summit
LA MALBAIE, Que. — Leaders of the G7 alliance produced a carefully crafted communique Saturday that struck a fragile consensus on difficult issues like Russia and trade — only to have Donald Trump rescind his support after the fact.
Just hours after agreeing to the joint communique with his G7 allies, the U.S. president tweeted from his plane that he had told his officials to abandon American support for the document in an eye-opening move that could threaten the future of the club.
He blamed the summit’s host: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“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!” Trump wrote in one tweet.
Trump followed it up with a second post that targeted Canada’s auto and dairy industries: “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!”
The tweets resumed the president’s attacks on what he had been describing in the leadup to the summit as Canada’s unfair trade policies.
They also stepped up Trump’s assault on Trudeau himself — unprecedented in the neighbouring countries’ long-standing relationship.
In response, Trudeau’s spokesman said the federal government was focused on what was accomplished at the summit.
“The prime minister said nothing he hasn’t said before — both in public and in private conversations with the president,” said spokesman Cameron Ahmad.
Heading into the leaders’ summit in the Quebec town of La Malbaie, there were deep concerns the G7 was fast becoming a G6 plus one because of a widening gulf between the U.S. and the rest of the group in key areas such as climate and trade.
The group could now be facing an existential crisis.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — a veteran of seven G7 leaders’ meetings — said the Charlevoix summit featured heated exchanges, the likes of which he has never seen.
Before Trump’s late-day tirade issued after he left the country, the exclusive club produced a communique exposing other areas of discord.
The document showed the group of rich, developed nations remained divided in the crucial area of protecting the planet from climate change — and it gave a clear statement that the United States remained the outlier.