In bombshell, Trump says U.S. backs out of G7 communique, criticizes Trudeau

By Roberta Rampton and Jean-Baptiste Vey

 

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and G7 leaders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, and U.S. President Donald Trump discuss the joint statement following a breakfast meeting on the second day of the G7 meeting in Charlevoix city of La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada, June 9, 2018. Adam Scotti/Prime Minister's Office/Handout via REUTERS

 

LA MALBAIE, Quebec (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said he had instructed his representatives not to endorse a joint communique put out by the Group of Seven leaders after what he called Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's "false statements" at a news conference.

 

Trump left the G7 summit in Canada early, then wrote on Twitter that Trudeau's remarks, including that his country would not be pushed around, "were very dishonest and weak."

 

"PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that, 'US Tariffs were kind of insulting' and he 'will not be pushed around.' Very dishonest & weak. Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270% on dairy!" the U.S. president tweeted.

 

The bombshell tweet came after G7 nations appeared to have papered over the cracks in their alliance at the two-day summit in La Malbaie, Quebec, where Trump defiantly brandished his "America First" agenda.

 

All the group's leaders had spoken publicly about the summit and the Canadian government had issued the communique when Trump's tweets were posted.

 

There was no immediate reaction from the Canadian government on Trump's tweets.

 

Trump, who last week slapped tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada, the European Union and Mexico, threatened at the summit to cut off trade with countries that treated the United States unfairly.

 

"We're like the piggy bank that everybody is robbing," he said at an earlier news conference as his counterparts continued their meeting in La Malbaie, Quebec, and officials hammered out a joint communique.

 

"This isn’t just G7. I mean, we have India, where some of the tariffs are 100 percent ... And we charge nothing," Trump said. "And it's going to stop. Or we'll stop trading with them."

 

The communique said the leaders of the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Italy, Germany and Japan agreed on the need for "free, fair, and mutually beneficial trade" and the importance of fighting protectionism.

 

"We strive to reduce tariff barriers, non-tariff barriers and subsidies," the statement said.

 

Trump, who argues his tariffs are meant to protect U.S. industry and workers from unfair international competition, told reporters he had suggested to the other G7 leaders that all trade barriers, including tariffs and subsidies, be eliminated.

 

The U.S. president is en route to Singapore for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which Trump described as a "mission of peace."

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-06-10

The US is a big and powerful country, but even big and powerful countries need friends.

 

There will come a time when the US picks up the phone seeking assistance, but will likely be met with silence.

 

That will be a sad, sad day. And it will be a sad, sad day for everyone, not just the US.

 

I have said it before and (sadly) need to say it again;

 

Donald Trump is an ever-expanding cloud of toxic waste that defiles everything it touches.

 

God help us all.

 

The world missed an opportunity to just lock those folks in a room and throw away the key.

This clown is upset that the other 6 did not bend their knees or prostrate themselves to him. God Bless America!

Finally I believe people are understanding just how furious Trump is with tariffs and protectionist policies of US trading partners.

 

The EU argument has always been: "Well if you made things at a reasonable price, we would buy."

 

Sounds good until you learn that US made vehicles get hit with a 25% tax upon entering the EU.    25%!!!!! 

 

Now all of those VW's, BMW's, Audi's, Mercedes, etc come into the US with a whopping 2.5% tax.  Let's just see how many will be sold in the US once Trump enacts a reciprocal 25% tax.

 

Canada is no better. They tax the hell out of US imports.  Trump has offered zero tariffs on Canada as long as they reciprocate.  Canada can't have that.  Must protect their famers and unions, ya know!

 

The steel and aluminum tariffs are just a warning shot to reduce these tariff or ... you can expect a lot more!

 

The threats of retaliation are empty. Everyone taxes the hell out of US made goods. Even Thailand just hammers US cigarettes, bourbon, wine, etc. The threat that: "OK, we'll then trade with China!"  

 

Good luck selling anything, but raw materials to China. 

Trump may have good cause to back out of the G7 communique.

 

Judging by Trump’s incoherent speach and look of complete ‘absence’ during his G7 speeches it is entirely possible he can’t remember taking part, anything that was said or anything he agreed to.

 

If a colleague turned up to work in that condition I’d get a driver to take him home and recommend he gets a check-up.

 

If this is the condition he’s in when he arrives in Singapore Kim will walk all over him.

Yeah well, let's not forget for a moment that each person in that G7 room is there for himself and that of his country's benefits, and that's what Trump is doing albeit in your face like style.....

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

There will come a time when the US picks up the phone seeking assistance, but will likely be met with silence.

It already happened. Earlier this week (1 June) UN ambassador Nikki Haley went around the room literally begging for support of an important issue. When it came down to the vote, she got NOT ONE vote of support!

 

21 minutes ago, Watchful said:

Now all of those VW's, BMW's, Audi's, Mercedes, etc come into the US with a whopping 2.5% tax.  Let's just see how many will be sold in the US once Trump enacts a reciprocal 25% tax.

 

 

Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant    8001 Volkswagen Dr. Chattanooga, Tennessee 37416    Volkswagen Passat, Volkswagen Atlas

BMW US Manufacturing Company, LLC    1400 Hwy 101 S. Greer, South Carolina 29651    BMW X3, BMW X4, BMW X5, BMW X6, BMW X7 (planned)

 

Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc.    1 Mercedes Dr. Vance, Alabama 35490    Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, Mercedes-Benz C-Class

 

Mercedes-Benz Vans, LLC.    8501 Palmetto Commerce Pkwy, Ladson, South Carolina 29456    Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Mercedes-Benz Metris (CKD, reassembly only)

Now can't trust US.

Bad days.

2 minutes ago, Watchful said:

How the hell do you know who changed? 

Uh, he tweeted it on the return flight?

4 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

 

 

Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant    8001 Volkswagen Dr. Chattanooga, Tennessee 37416    Volkswagen Passat, Volkswagen Atlas

BMW US Manufacturing Company, LLC    1400 Hwy 101 S. Greer, South Carolina 29651    BMW X3, BMW X4, BMW X5, BMW X6, BMW X7 (planned)

 

Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc.    1 Mercedes Dr. Vance, Alabama 35490    Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, Mercedes-Benz C-Class

 

Mercedes-Benz Vans, LLC.    8501 Palmetto Commerce Pkwy, Ladson, South Carolina 29456    Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Mercedes-Benz Metris (CKD, reassembly only)

Those are assembly plants.  Everything that makes them a car (engines, transmissions, fuel systems, etc) come from ... wait for it... Germany.  Since EU taxes US engines, tranmissions etc at 25%, so shall these!

34 minutes ago, Watchful said:

Finally I believe people are understanding just how furious Trump is with tariffs and protectionist policies of US trading partners.

 

The EU argument has always been: "Well if you made things at a reasonable price, we would buy."

 

Sounds good until you learn that US made vehicles get hit with a 25% tax upon entering the EU.    25%!!!!! 

 

Now all of those VW's, BMW's, Audi's, Mercedes, etc come into the US with a whopping 2.5% tax.  Let's just see how many will be sold in the US once Trump enacts a reciprocal 25% tax.

 

 

It's complicated:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_automobiles_manufactured_in_the_United_States

1 hour ago, Somtamnication said:

This clown is upset that the other 6 did not bend their knees or prostrate themselves to him. God Bless America!

Brits will leave him in no doubt when he visits next month.

 

Here's May's  take on the G7:

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-at-g7-summit-9-june-2018

9 minutes ago, Watchful said:

Those are assembly plants.  Everything that makes them a car (engines, transmissions, fuel systems, etc) come from ... wait for it... Germany.  Since EU taxes US engines, tranmissions etc at 25%, so shall these!

 

Cool, tell that to the thousands of folks who work there, and in dealerships. And all those folks with their 401K with a portion invested internationally.

 

Believe parts are sourced from a wide variety of countries, including Germany, the U.S. and, wait for it, Mexico.

 

Now let's start building a coal-fired automobile. Or maybe re-open all those buggy-whip manufacturing plants.

 

I doubt many people in Germany would buy a U.S. auto even it if cost 50% less, after we set up transportation, distribution, sales, service, etc. And maybe a few neo-Nazis would go for a Harley?

 

 

16 minutes ago, Anak Nakal said:

Now can't trust US.

Bad days.

Anyone who ever trusted the US was shafted, from when the country was founded to the present day, there are many examples of this, from the Native Americans, to the South Vietnamese and the Hmong, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
 

10 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

 

It's complicated:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_automobiles_manufactured_in_the_United_States

Yes, it is.  This is from a CNN article:

 

"Last month, CNN reported that Trump took up the issue of German imports directly with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. During a meeting in Washington, he accused Merkel of being "so protectionist" in her trade policies, and again raised the issue of German automobiles in the United States. Merkel explained that if she lowered barriers for US cars entering Germany, she would have to do the same for other countries."

Complicated right.  So, we'll tax the hell out of you, but you better not tax us.

 

3 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

 

I doubt many people in Germany would buy a U.S. auto even it if cost 50% less, after we set up transportation, distribution, sales, service, etc. And maybe a few neo-Nazis would go for a Harley?

 

 

Total nonsense.  Germans buy cars from Spain and some from the US even when taxed at 25%. Cut those taxes and we'll just see.

 

http://www.worldstopexports.com/cars-imports-by-country/

 

 

58 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Trump may have good cause to back out of the G7 communique.

 

Judging by Trump’s incoherent speach and look of complete ‘absence’ during his G7 speeches it is entirely possible he can’t remember taking part, anything that was said or anything he agreed to.

 

If a colleague turned up to work in that condition I’d get a driver to take him home and recommend he gets a check-up.

 

If this is the condition he’s in when he arrives in Singapore Kim will walk all over him.

 

No matter what his condition, the "great" real estate deal maker is about to meet his match. I will stick my neck out here and say that Kim will probably trump him.

3 minutes ago, Watchful said:

Total nonsense.  Germans buy cars from Spain and some from the US even when taxed at 25%. Cut those taxes and we'll just see.

 

SEAT has been part of the, wait for it, Volkswagen Group since 1986.

 

It is very simplistic (nay, Trumpian) to conclude that dropping tariffs would somehow lead to a surge in imports. And this extends to many finished goods, while raw materials are a bit different. Of course we do have an oversupply of hot-air.

 

It is extremely costly to set up a distribution network for automobiles in a foreign country. You'd have to make a massive investment in transportation, logistics, dealerships, training, sales & marketing, spare parts, service, local regulatory compliance, etc.

1 hour ago, Watchful said:

Finally I believe people are understanding just how furious Trump is with tariffs and protectionist policies of US trading partners.

 

 

The story here isn't about trade policies and tariffs. Those get batted around in every administration. The story here is the WAY Trump is going about dealing with the U.S.'s longtime allies -- the same undiplomatic, childish, personally abusive way he's operated during the campaign and as president.

 

If he wants better trade deals fine. But don't go about pursuing that in ways that isolate the U.S. from its friends and hinder international cooperation. Publicly calling the Canadian PM dishonest and weak, whether or not he is or is not, serves no productive purpose.

 

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

The story here isn't about trade policies and tariffs. Those get batted around in every administration. The story here is the WAY Trump is going about dealing with the U.S.'s longtime allies -- the same undiplomatic, childish, personally abusive way he's operated during the campaign and as president.

 

If he wants better trade deals fine. But don't go about pursuing that in ways that isolate the U.S. from its friends and hinder international cooperation. Publicly calling the Canadian PM dishonest and weak, whether or not he is or is not, serves no productive purpose.

 

I am no fan of this PM but you are right, calling him weak may prove very counter productive. He may just do like his father and flip Trump the bird.

1 minute ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

The story here isn't about trade policies and tariffs. Those get batted around in every administration. The story here is the WAY Trump is going about dealing with the U.S.'s longtime allies -- the same undiplomatic, childish, personally abusive way he's operated during the campaign and as president.

 

If he wants better trade deals fine. But don't go about pursuing that in ways that isolate the U.S. from its friends and hinder international cooperation. Publicly calling the Canadian PM dishonest and weak, whether or not he is or is not, serves no productive purpose.

 

 

I believe he called the Canadian PM's statement "dishonest and weak" not the PM himself. And if people think this past 17 months of Trump has been off the rails, you ain't seen nothing yet. The 5 months leading up to the election are going to blow people's minds.

7 minutes ago, neeray said:

I am no fan of this PM but you are right, calling him weak may prove very counter productive. He may just do like his father and flip Trump the bird.

Yep, your silly ass Trudeau would never agree to Trump's proposal of free trade - zero tariffs.  No, he must protect Canadian farmers and union workers.

 

Go ahead flip the bird and get reciprocal tariffs.  Then Canada can sell to China instead.  Go right ahead.  I've even send you the maps of China.

7 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

 

I believe he called the Canadian PM's statement "dishonest and weak" not the PM himself. And if people think this past 17 months of Trump has been off the rails, you ain't seen nothing yet. The 5 months leading up to the election are going to blow people's minds.

 

Here's a fresh quote from the Canadian Press. Decipher it as you will.

 

Trump followed it up with a second post that targeted Canada's auto and dairy industries: "PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that, 'US Tariffs were kind of insulting' and he 'will not be pushed around.' Very dishonest & weak. Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270% on dairy!"

Speaking of Trudeau, there was a press conference and a reporter teed up a question for Trudeau:

 

"Are you disappointed that President Trump is leaving 4 hours before the G7 summit ends?"

 

Trump answered immediately: "He's happy!"   Cracking up everyone!

Perhaps you mean "Trudeau answered immediately. Or did I miss something?

Again Trump is doing what must be done.A leader with guts I love the guy and I am Canadian

  Trudeau is a joke as a leader he is a kid playing men's games.

I'd like to see G8

 

With Russia AND China and no USA

 

Also kick USA out of NATO 

 

Huge tariffs on crap American fast food, TV and sport.

 

25% on Boeing

2 hours ago, Watchful said:

Finally I believe people are understanding just how furious Trump is with tariffs and protectionist policies of US trading partners.

 

The EU argument has always been: "Well if you made things at a reasonable price, we would buy."

 

Sounds good until you learn that US made vehicles get hit with a 25% tax upon entering the EU.    25%!!!!! 

 

Now all of those VW's, BMW's, Audi's, Mercedes, etc come into the US with a whopping 2.5% tax.  Let's just see how many will be sold in the US once Trump enacts a reciprocal 25% tax.

 

Canada is no better. They tax the hell out of US imports.  Trump has offered zero tariffs on Canada as long as they reciprocate.  Canada can't have that.  Must protect their famers and unions, ya know!

 

The steel and aluminum tariffs are just a warning shot to reduce these tariff or ... you can expect a lot more!

 

The threats of retaliation are empty. Everyone taxes the hell out of US made goods. Even Thailand just hammers US cigarettes, bourbon, wine, etc. The threat that: "OK, we'll then trade with China!"  

 

Good luck selling anything, but raw materials to China. 

Tariffs have been unfair to the USA for far too long. 

Kudos to Mr. Trump doing something about them. America will no longer be the world's piggy bank.