President Donald Trump left the G-7 summit in Canada with choice words for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

President tweets invective about Canadian PM

LA MALBAIE, Quebec — President Donald Trump on Saturday criticized Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “dishonest & weak” and said the U.S. was pulling back its endorsement of the G-7 summit’s communique in part because of what he called Trudeau’s “false statements” at a news conference.

In a set of tweets aboard Air Force One, on its way to Singapore for Tuesday’s summit with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, Trump threw the G-7 summit into disarray Saturday and threatened to escalate his trade war just as Canada released the G-7’s official communique. Its statement took a generally positive view of the leaders’ positions on trade matters while acknowledging tensions with the U.S.

A few hours earlier, Trudeau had told reporters that all seven leaders had come together to sign the joint declaration.

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!”

He followed up by tweeting: “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!”

In a statement, a spokesman for Trudeau did not address Trump’s statements.

“We are focused on everything we accomplished here at the G-7 summit,” spokesman Cameron Ahmad said. “The prime minister said nothing he hasn’t said before, both in public and in private conversations with the president.”

As he exited the world summit, Trump had delivered a warning to America’s trading partners not to counter his decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. But the summit host, Trudeau, whose nation was among those singled out by Trump, pushed back and said he would not hesitate to retaliate against his neighbor to the south.

“If they retaliate, they’re making a mistake,” Trump declared before departing the annual Group of Seven summit, which includes Britain, Italy, France, Germany and Japan.

Trudeau later said he reiterated to Trump that tariffs will harm industries and workers on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border. He said that unleashing retaliatory measures is not something he relishes doing but that he wouldn’t hesitate to do so because he “will always protect Canadian workers and Canadian interests.”

The Associated Press