It’s been a mystery for nearly a month: where is Melania Trump? Now she’s finally set to host an event, but here’s why we won’t see her. Nathan Rousseau Smith reports. Buzz60
WASHINGTON – President Trump will be surrounded by global leaders this weekend in Quebec, but the G-7 summit may still feel like a lonely place.
Gathering on the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, the leaders of the world’s most industrialized economies will meet days after Trump leveled steep tariffs on steel and aluminum, threatened new barriers on imported cars and pulled the United States out of a nuclear accord with Iran that some of their governments helped negotiate.
“America stands very much alone as they enter this G-7,” said Heather Conley, a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “I think most of the major allies have concluded that, to be honest with you, there really isn’t a relationship that they can build.”
Trump’s decision to levy a 25% tariff on steel and a 10% duty on aluminum last week drew howls from many of the same leaders the president will meet at the first Group of 7 summit since last year’s meeting in Italy. The G-7 consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Signaling the earful Trump is likely to receive at the meeting, the six other G-7 member nations expressed “unanimous concern and disappointment” over the tariffs, according to a statement released by Canada over the weekend.
Those nations’ finance leaders called for trade discussions to continue at the meeting and said “decisive action is needed.”
Farmers have not been doing well for 15 years. Mexico, Canada, China and others have treated them unfairly. By the time I finish trade talks, that will change. Big trade barriers against U.S. farmers, and other businesses, will finally be broken. Massive trade deficits no longer!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June…
