World Leaders Meet at G7 Summit in France
The Primary: President Trump gave his closing remarks at the conclusion of the G7 Summit in France, in which he said he is open to deescalating the trade war between the U.S. and China. The conference, which included leaders from France, Germany, the U.S., Britain, Canada, Japan and more.
Who? What? Why?: The leaders discussed a range of issues including climate change and inter-country conflicts. They agreed to send aid to countries affected by the Amazon fires, and rejected inquiries from Trump to reinstate Russia into the summit in 2020.
The Baseline: Iran’s Foreign Minister made a surprise appearance amidst growing tensions between Iran and the U.S. While Iran did not meet with the U.S., the two countries have expressed interest in opening discussions.
From the Left: The New York Times editorial board laments the representation from Trump at the summit. Noting his lack of attendance at the climate change discussion, they argue that the most alarming thing is that other leaders were not annoyed by his absence. This, the board argues, speaks to the lack of respect they have for the current U.S. president. "The leaders of the major economies tiptoed around the irascible and unpredictable American president," they write.
From the Right: Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post finds Trump’s behavior at the summit embarrassing both for him and the United States. Worse, she argues, his isolationist perspective on foreign policy is stripping the U.S. of its once-held dignity in international circles.