Trump is leaving the G7 early to focus on the Middle East
World Economic Summit Summary: Donald Trump, the United States, and the Greenland War in the Context of the Group of Seven Summits
KANANASKIS, Alberta — Leaders of some of the world’s biggest economic powers arrived in the Canadian Rockies on Sunday for a Group of Seven summit, overshadowed by an escalating conflict between Israel and Iran and U.S. President Donald Trump’s unresolved trade war.
Trump in recent days vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a U.S. official told The Associated Press, in an indication of how far Israel was prepared to go.
Earlier in the day, he met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to wrap up details on the trade deal they announced last month. Trump also met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and they discussed trade issues.
As summit host, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has decided to abandon the annual practice of issuing a joint statement, or communique, at the end of the meeting.
The summit risks being a series of bilateral talks rather than a show of unity, since other leaders are trying to talk to Trump in an attempt to stop him from imposing tariffs.
Trump is the summit wild card. He arrived at the international summit sporting a “Make America Great Again” hat. Four Mounties greeted him. He has made inflammatory threats that would make Canada the 51st state and take over a part of the world. The president of France paid a symbolic visit to Greenland on his way to Canada. Macron warned that Greenland is “not to be sold” nor “to be taken.”
He said that the European Union does not think that Greenland should be sold and that the local crowd applauded.
G7 Leaders Gather in Canada for a summit overshadowed by Israel-Iran crisis: Donald Trump vs. Chrétien
The heads of state that are not members of the G7 but were invited to the summit are India, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Australia, Brazil and the United Arab country. Avoiding tariffs will continue to be top of mind.
When asked if he planned to announce any trade agreements at the G7, Trump replied: “We have our trade deals.” All we have to do is send a letter: ‘This is what you’re going to have to pay.’ I think we will have a few new trade deals.
Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien told a panel this week that if Trump acts out, leaders should ignore it and remain calm like he did in the Oval Office meeting.
According to Chrétien, he tends to be a bully. If Trump decided to do a show to be in the news, he will do something crazy. Let him do it and keep talking normally.”
Last month Britain and the U.S. announced they had struck a trade deal that will slash American tariffs on U.K. autos, steel and aluminum. The Trump administration has said it would implement it, but it hasn’t taken effect, so British officials are not concerned.
Source: G7 leaders gather in Canada for a summit overshadowed by Israel-Iran crisis
The German prime minister’s announcement on the G7 leaders’ “Family Photon” on social media and the “Russian War” on the Middle East
Canada is a close ally and member of the Commonwealth but Starmer’s efforts to woo Trump have left them uneasy. Starmer has also drawn criticism — especially from Canadians — for failing to address Trump’s stated desire to make Canada the 51st state.
The war in the country of Ukraine will be discussed. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to attend the summit and is expected to meet with Trump, a reunion coming just months after their bruising Oval Office encounter which laid bare the risks of having a meeting with the U.S. president.
Starmer met with Carney in Ottawa before the summit for talks focused on security and trade, in the first visit to Canada by a British prime minister for eight years.
German officials were keen to counter the suggestion that the summit would be a “six against one” event, noting that the G7 countries have plenty of differences of emphasis among themselves on various issues.
“The only the problem you cannot forecast is what the president of the United States will do depending on the mood, the need to be in the news,” said Chrétien.
The G7 leaders were trying to come up with a statement on the Middle East, but it was up to the American side, according to a spokesman for the German government.
The announcement came shortly after Trump posted a dire warning on social media. I told Iran to sign the deal. What a shame, and waste of human life,” Trump said. Everyone should leave Tehran!
Trump had originally been slated to leave Canada on Tuesday evening, but moved up his departure to Monday night after a working dinner with the G7 leaders, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on social media.
“I have to be back. It’s very important,” Trump told reporters after posing for the traditional ‘family photo’ with the other leaders. “You might know what I see,” Trump said. I have to return as soon as possible.
G7 report: Iran-Israel trade and a potential joint statement on the status of the G7 ”Conflationary”
Trade issues had been expected to be a major focus at the summit in the Canadian Rockies. The Iran- Israel strikes dominated the G7 meetings with leaders discussing a potential joint statement on the conflict.