A meeting blow-up between President Trump and six leaders of the biggest industrialized nations went something like this:
prior to the G7 meeting
President Trump imposed tariffs (import taxes) on steel and aluminum from the European Union, Canada and Mexico, saying the tariffs will help to protect American jobs and boost the economy. In other words, steel and aluminum from these countries will cost more in the U.S.
Canada was super mad, and threatened dollar-for-dollar tariffs back at the U.S.
the meeting ends
Still, the meeting ends with the leaders agreeing to sign a communiqué, or a summary of the things that were discussed (climate change, trade, women’s rights, among others) during the event.
on Air Force One
A U.S. official says President Trump will sign the communique. In other words, Trump supports the things that were discussed at the meeting and all is good–or at least better–among world leaders.
meanwhile, on the ground
Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau—the host of this year’s meeting—said, at a press conference, that Canada would move forward with its retaliatory tariffs against U.S. products in response to tariffs on Canadian metals.
back on Air Force One, everything changed
Trump heard or saw or was briefed on Trudeau’s press conference. He tweeted that Canadian leader Justin Trudeau had acted “meek” in meetings, and that he was a liar, talking tough in a news conference after Trump had gone.
And, he said, he wouldn’t sign the communiqué.
Click here to read the WSJ article.
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