In prior years during Trump's first term, G7 summits were marked by tension. This potentially indicates a repeat of such tension this year.
In 2017, Trump's Triumphant Yet Contentious First G7 Summit
As the Sun set on President Trump's initial G7 summit in Sicily back in '17, he exuded triumph.
"We've been away for almost nine days," he boasted in a speech, reflecting on a journey that culminated in the G7. "I think we've smashed a homerun no matter where we are."
Yet conversations with one of the G7 leaders, Germany's then-chancellor Angela Merkel, painted a different picture. Trump had vexed Merkel during the G7, and upon her return home, she voiced her opinions during a political rally, insisting that alliances were unraveling.
"The days when we could fully rely on others are long gone," Merkel declared.
With his "America First" approach, Trump stirred friction and even chaos within the G7 meetings—an alliance of advanced economies originally formed 50 years ago to tackle global economic problems.
Around the corner, this year's G7, commencing Monday, may echo with more acrimony. This follows months of trade tariffs imposed by Trump on every G7 member, along with threats to annex Canada, this year's summit host.
Notably, we won't observe the traditional joint communique—a lengthy agreement hammered out by leaders at the meeting's end. Instead, we'll witness separate joint leaders' statements on assorted topics.
Trade Tussles and Personal Attacks
Back in President Trump's debut G7 in '17, negotiators initially hoped for a malleable Trump on a variety of topics, such as climate change, trade, and development initiatives for underprivileged countries.
"It became increasingly apparent that the gap between President Trump's vision and the other members grew substantially," recalled Creon Butler, a member of the UK's negotiation team at the time.
For the record, the '17 communique ostensibly targeted the U.S., asserting that Washington was "not in a position to join the consensus" concerning climate change.
Retrospectively, Trump's obstinacy at that commencement G7 wasn't startling. Time and again, he has diligently rejected multilateral approaches to matters like trade and security.
An Iconic Photo and Brewing Tempers in 2018
The 2018 summit bore witness to an iconic image, highlighting the pervasive tensions. In this photo, Merkel stood tall, barring Trump, who sat stoically, arms crossed, amid onlookers.
The hostilities took a personal turn in '18. Following the summit in Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau relayed a promise to retaliate against U.S. tariffs.
"I've been abundantly clear with the president that this is not something we embrace, but it's something we will do," Trudeau said.
Trump's swift response? A tweet accusing Trudeau of dishonesty and weakness, advising his team not to endorse that year's joint statement.
Complaints about Overreach and 2019's White House Agenda
In '19, the White House set forth its intentions for the G7: to rein in supposed mission creep. Before the summit, Lawrence Kudlow, Trump's economic advisor, penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal decrying discussions about tourism and social justice as riddled with "politically correct bromides."
Kelly Anne Shaw, Trump's lead negotiator at this summit, claimed there was excessive overreaching during the talks, causing friction.
Canada hosted Trump's last G7 for his first term. The COVID pandemic dashed plans for a 2020 meeting, which the United States was supposed to host, and Trump expressed a desire to delay it until after the election he ultimately lost.
Looking Ahead to the 2021 G7
As we approach this year's G7, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced a list of broad priorities he hopes to focus on during the summit. Key objectives include bolstering responses to wildfires, building infrastructure, and supporting higher-paying jobs.
Kelly Anne Shaw, despite her criticisms, maintains that the G7 could make valuable headway on significant matters.
"In my opinion, when it comes to the economy, the global financial system, and concerns regarding China, AI, and Ukraine, these are issues leaders should focus on," Shaw noted.
Yet tackling such sensitive matters necessitates robust international bonds, a challenge when Trump is involved, according to Creon Butler, former UK negotiator.
"Trust is essential for all of this to work, and several actions taken by the president have damaged that trust—such as threatening to annex Canada," Butler said.
Trump jets off to the G7 on Sunday. The White House is yet to disclose his overall objectives.
- The government's policies involving climate change and development initiatives for underprivileged countries were contentious during the G7 summit in 2017, as President Trump's "America First" approach led to an increased gap between his vision and the other members.
- While the economy and global financial system are crucial areas for policy-and-legislation discussions at the G7, the general-news landscape is rife with concerns about Trump's volatile approach towards alliances, as seen in his threats to impose tariffs on every G7 member and his comments about annexing Canada, this year's summit host.
- In light of ongoing conflicts between the U.S., war-and-conflicts, such as trade tussles and personal attacks, the G7 meetings have devolved into sources of tension rather than collaborative forums, as demonstrated by Trump's disputes with leaders like Angela Merkel and Justin Trudeau in previous summits.
- In today's news, we see that crime-and-justice issues are widespread, including the repercussions of Trump's repeated departure from multilateral approaches in negotiations like those at the G7, which have undermined international trust and alliances.
