What self-respecting American is still supporting this man?
8
While we all focus on Trump I want to know where is the republican congressional majority?? They could easily put the kabosh on the tariffs and they could easily demand a hearing on the North Korea summit...crickets.
5
the other g-7 leaders read him the riot act.
7
Trudeau weak? Put DOOFUS in the ring with Canada's PM and watch.
11
Russia needs to be let back into the G7 group, i.e. G8.
Where did that idea come from?
Surely not the Trump mind.
1
Trumputins tweeting - tiresome - but most assuredly a manifestation of his cowardice. He is the ultimate "Ugly American".
7
"When the head is a fool, the body is done for."
- Yiddish proverb
9
Trump has saved his biggest insults for Merkel and Trudeau, and his greatest compliments for Duterte, Xi, Kim, and Putin.
Anybody fail to see the pattern?
15
"He didn’t put America first; Russia first would be a better description." Exactly. It's been obvious from the beginning that's where his psychotic bread is buttered, why is it so hard for everyone, especially the press, to call him what he is: a liar, and a traitor? The Republicans are shameful, they should have started impeachments hearings long ago. Heartland America will be the most abused by DJT's lies, sadly they won't realize it until it's too late.
9
...Well said...
1
I suspect Putin first bribed Trump by lending him money when legitimate lenders refused to do business with a bankrupt casino owner. Then, clearly, Putin would have used tblackmail to keep this chiseler from backing out on a deal, as he has done with so many others. When the trap shut, Don the Con was too stupid to realize what had happened, as were the "angry" white voters in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
8
Typical Krugman: laconic half-truths wrapped in panicky anti-Trumpian the-sky-is-falling nonsense. What Trump astually said was that, whether we like it or not, Russia is the world power and thus has to be at the table. Now, I disagree with that strongly, actually. But to say that Trump was bargaining for the Russians and thus somehow betrayed the US is simply a lie. This whole psychosis by the Democrat party about how if not for the Russians crooked Hillary would have won, so it is in fact not her (and her team's) fault bu the pesky Russians' is entirely berating to my (the voter who did vote TRUMP) and the other tens of mils' intelligence and free will. Stop being sore looser, Krug-man.
Yulia writes, "But to say that Trump was bargaining for the Russians and thus somehow betrayed the US is simply a lie."
Actually, it's an opinion. An opinion I agree with. Russia may be a military power, but it's not a financial power...so why should it be included in the G7? And how is bargaining for Russia anything but bargaining for Russia? Why is it that Trump is friends with dictators, but can't get along with democratically elected leaders? Why are Trump's supporters totally fine with Russia interfering in the US elections? Which country are they most loyal too?
No one knows whether the Russian's did enough to turn the election, but it was close enough in a few states that it is possible. Comey did more damage to Hillary. Right wing lies on Facebook did more damage to Hillary.
As for intelligence...anyone who voted for Trump deserves the booby prize that Trump truly represents. He hasn't got a clue...and doesn't care. Neither do his supporters.
11
The headline could read: 'With Enemies Like Kim and Vlad, Who Needs Friends?'
6
The ONE week the RCMP couldn't have had a mistakenly perfectly timed practice stampede?
5
Good one!
He does not read. So he has no background facts. He has no idea about the history of anything because he only thinks in terms of the NYC real estate market. He is a lair. He does not believe he is ever wrong. If something he says proves to be wrong it is always someone else fault. He will wildly attack anything or person who disagrees with him. He is a disgrace as a man and a father with all his affairs. I don't know why is is so in love with Putin. My theory is that he still wants to build that 100 story hotel in Moscow.
The very simple truth is if you spend your mornings watching Fox and Friends and go to bed calling Sean Hannaty then you are unfit to be President.
12
Republicans, this is your president. All yours. You must be so very proud of his accomplishments! If you're not pleased as punch, what are you? Remember, he has your blessings, he's working for YOU.
Isn't he?
11
Terrific column. As usual, Dr. Krugman hits the nail on the head.
One quarrel: in mid-paragraph 3 he says, "even if Trump eventually departs the scene in disgrace". Please tell me this is a typo, and he meant "when Trump departs".
14
The Manchurian Candidate lives.
12
Mr. Mueller, PLEASE, PLEASE, we are in danger.
11
The cost of building a ridiculous wall on the Mexican boarder --a staggering $25 billion. The cost of walling out Canada and the G6 --priceless! ...Making Russia great again...
12
That was a very interesting tidbit about Russia having a lower GDP than Spain and Brazil. Proof positive that fascism is a failed economic model.
9
This is Trump we're talking about. So in addition to his gross incompetence on foreign policy and economics, you must also factor in the fact that Justin Trudeau is more intelligent, better looking, and (gasp!) taller than our prez. And that must boil Trump's blood. Good thing for North Korea that Kim Jong Un is homely, short, and sporting a dreadful haircut.
14
Or hours with people who know what they are doing and who prepared before they got there. Trump's foolish ignorance would be revealed within 20 minutes. And it was. And the other leaders were not impressed.
11
Trump wins when the conversation moves away from the Mueller investigation. Trump made all these stupid comments in the wake of the latest indictments of Manafort and Kilimnik. And, the news media both print and TV got suckered again. What Trump said and did in Canada is of little consequence. If Manafort's bail is revoked and he sits in jail long enough to realize that is his future until he dies that is an event of tremendous magnitude.
6
With trump and his bully boys and girls, we are in bizarro land. Up is down, white is black, right is wrong. People - vote in the midterms; your life depends on getting the repubs out.
11
Boggling other people's heads is Trump's only real talent.
6
How could Trump even suggest admitting Russia back after everyone now knows Russia interfered in our election? Something smells rotten in Trump Tower.
11
Can't we see it coming... GT3? US, China, Russia... Then GT5 with the addition of Turkey and the Philippines...
5
Trump's response to the G7 summit is like the schoolyard bully who can't take another kid's new bicycle, so he breaks the school windows.
11
There was a time when people were fired up about Obama's tan suit or the fact that he bowed to Saudi or Japanese leaders as is the custom in those countries. Ahh, the good old days.
10
An excellent essay, Dr. Krugman. First rate. The phrase that most struck me, though, was "...other than whatever hold Putin has on Trump personally."
I've fought, in my mind, the notion that Trump is thoroughly corrupt. I didn't want to be believe that he was anything other than an ignorant buffoon who had the knack of reading a crowd, no matter the substance or lack of it. But I can no longer escape the conclusion that he - and perhaps members of his family too - are thoroughly corrupt.
The flow of money from Russian kleptocrats through the Trump Organization reeks of money laundering. Trump Jr. even bragged about Russian money "pouring" into the T.O. back in 2008. Sales of condos, entire floors of hotels and other properties to Russian plutocrats stinks of laundering... laundering of money gouged out by Russian oligarchs during the collapse of the USSR and afterward.
I no longer think there's any "other than" about it. The man is crooked, and belongs behind bars.
13
I'm sure you're right. I doubt Trump would be at all concerned about salacious Moscow hotel videos. He could probably get away with similar behavior in the public square. It has to involve money.
1
link to the EU tariffs is wrong
I can't think of anything I would buy that is "made in America". Once upon a time you had cars, white goods, TV's, radios, even clothes. Now its junk.Especially your agriculture: hormones in the beef and milk and chickens washed in chlorine.....
6
True. Part of the reason for keeping US milk out of Canada is because of hormone treatment of cows in the US.
It is, however, sad that many fine old companies (think Maine shoemakers) have been destroyed. Corporate welfare doesn't seem to have worked as promised; what a surprise.
I say, from now on, G5!
3
Totally agree - kick out the US until the next leader can behave appropriately for the benefit of mankind - not Donald Trump.
7
Can recommend future topic for Trump - war with Canada. Unfortunately for Canada it does not have either nuclear weapon or large military but it make sense just to get at least one of them in order to avoid destiny of Ukraine.
1
I think many of our allies would be there for us...famous words from Churchill... if he had British officers, Canadian soldiers and American technology he would rule the world...
If you were an evil genius you wanted to bring about the downfall of the US by destroying everything good we have, you couldn't have conjured up a better President with which to do it, or a better do-nothing Republican Congress, than what we have today. Don't complain - vote, volunteer for campaigns, donate what you can. Nov 2018 is it. The future of the US hinges on this.
8
So predictably Krugman predicts the collapse of the Western Alliance among other horrors.
Still waiting for market and economy to collapse if Trump elected. Unfortunately for me Krugman lost all credibility as an economic analyst. All of his analysis is based on anything conservatives do is bad and luckily for us Democrats can save the day. Well at least they can after they remember how to get elected again.
Trumps hardball stance on trade as all decisions in this arena will be worse for some and better for others. At this point to early to call the winners and losers.
Mr Krugman, I have read countless NYT articles over the past few days providing information on G7 tariffs. They suggest that the reason for the trade imbalances lies elsewhere. So, pray tell, what IS preventing the USA from increasing its exports to the EU, Canada, Japan.... What barriers do your farmers and manufacturers face? TTIP died prior to the current administration. CETA scraped through (and eliminated 98% of tariffs). Grateful for an explanation.
1
Like most citizens of the world, I have no idea what specific tariffs are in place and whether they are systematically skewed in one way or another. I know US has trade deficits but that can be explained by other factors.
SO, after reading this column, I wonder - is it really this bad? Is Trump in fact the mad king who now threatens to destroy world trade?
2
What pains me is that enough people know about the criminalities committed. People have seen the tax returns. People do hear the conversations Trump has with Putin. His self dealing is established. Where are the patriots stepping up and exposing the fraud.
20
What is really scary about our President is that he really believes that he has the answer to everything and anything that might happen on his watch. If he makes a major mistake you can bet that he will blame someone else for his lack of knowledge and preparation. The President of the United States is always vulnerable to crises, even when he has the best team of advisors acting on his behalf of the nation. But when the President will heed no advice and just wings it, blunders abound and possible harm to the nation increases. We need a new Congress that will put up some resistance and put a serious check on his mercurial ways and incompetence.
18
In addition to hormones in the milk the elephant in the room is the US Farm Bill subsidizes. The $22.2 Billion for dairy in the farm bill make up 73% of dairy producer returns. Unlike Canada, the US system is not sustainable without massive taxpayer support.
To cast aside our system that allows dairy farmers to make a profit without tax dollars and a guaranteed safe supply to consumer would be ludicrous.
USDA data reveals that for more than a decade, U.S. farm gate prices for milk fail to cover costs of production.
So Trump et al logic is that Canada should scrap our decades old working system to sop up excess US milk, laced with hormones produced at a loss?
Not an investment I'd make and support Trudeau for taking a strong stand.
https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/american-dairy-farmers-depend-on-g...
31
Here is the correct link.
https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/american-dairy-farmers-depend-on-g...
1
Absolutely correct.
The longer term damage could be that the rest of the west simply deal around US. Why would any business have supply chains that rely on an erratic country that cannot be trusted to abide by the letter and spirit of previous agreements. Why would they use the $ for transactions or produce anything not for the american markets in the US.
27
For the time being they will be patient, if Trump wins 2020 election then yes I think you're right.
3
Part of the issue with dairy trade is the fact that hormones and anti-biotics that are approved for use in the USA for human consumption of beef and dairy are not approved for consumption in Canada. Granted there is a regulatory regime in Canadian dairy products and it keep our prices artificially high (when I am in the USA I buy cheese at Costco because of the low prices) but the ban on growth and production hormones is an actual barrier to the market.
25
Then adapt and eat other foods. The support industry for cattle is killing the planet.
2
Well, that's right, "Whatever comes next...won't be good." How could it be when an inept President, at the bidding of advisors garnered from the ranks of plutocrats' lackeys, attempts to compensate for the outsourcing of jobs, and the lack of healthy competition from this side of the Atlantic and North American continent, by imposing quotas which will, anyhow, go nowhere towards redressing the balance of payments deficit in international trade? It might help to create the illusion of fiscal prowess, which is in reality only backed up by nuclear threats, and shows of bluff-like force near Eurasia. "Trumpistan" is like that: building imaginary bridges for a future which is tenuous at best, and making it seem that what worked anachronistically will work in modern times. There is no "reason of things" other than the desire of the leader to ingratiate himself with history as "good at his job" as a form of self-gratification. "Leave early.", you say? Well that begs the question of just what happened, is happening, would be happening, could be happening, should be happening, etc. in the land of the golden speculator. " Streets paved with gold" have been superseded with pockets lined with it. This is truly "gullible's travels", at least one version of it.
18
Trump’s behavior is never about America, foreign governments or the betterment of humanity. It’s only about Trump. Just like all babies, Trump demands attention that caters to his underdeveloped ego. When he kicks and screams he gains the attention that nourishes his infantile mental state. The news media, foreign governments and the rest of the world would be better off ignoring Trump’s tantrums. As grownups, the world should spend its efforts dealing with real problems and let Trump deal with his own lack of development. To play this guy’s games is a waste of everyone’s time. The world has real problems to deal with.
23
Donald Trump is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Russia.
27
Are Trump's incompetence and bizarre behavior our best protection against the damage a President Pence would do?
16
Trump insulted and humiliated almost every Republican candidate on the primary stage, while also showing his ignorance of issues, history, law and governance and his disdain for facts, yet those same Republicans now kiss his ring and curry his favor. What makes you think Trudeau, Macron, Merkel, May and the others will not do the same? Unless their own people have had it with the Bully President dissing their great nations and taking their friendship and shared sacrifices for granted, Trump will get away with it.
4
Maybe it's a cognition problem? Maybe Trump supporters, so eager to enforce the written rules about immigration and flag etiquette, don't understand the "unspoken rules" of social behavior? This would explain both why they are so eager to support the written law, to the point of arbitrary viciousness, and why they are so happy when Trump tramples the, difficult to comprehend, unwritten rules of cultural norms? Or maybe not.. maybe they're just lying cowards.
11
Trumphole behavior/Debacle in Quebec.
6
Why Trump is requesting to Bring back Russia in to G7?
Why?
Just touching nerve to our allies , particularly Theresa May? he can directly spit on May 's face, it would be less insulting.
Trump is here to damage what Post WWII world created..He does this with a great pleasure for him as well as for Putin.
8
I keep waiting for the Friendly Angel to show up. Clearly all of the adults in the US have been killed off. Hail, hail fire and snow...
3
There was no strategy behind Trump's behavior. It follows from his defective personality: he's a narcissist who cannot stand anyone more powerful or more popular or gathering more attention. So Trump stomps around like an adolescent and says idiotic things to show them that he's the boss. But they know he isn't. I can see the G7 becoming the G6 until Trump is replaced.
37
Trump has become the USA’s number one enemy. His behavior has gone beyond petulant, childish , and foolhardy and become toxic to democratic norms and institutions. His behavior at the G 7 ( minus one ) was destructive, antithetical to our country’s best interests and warrants condemnation by all of our allies. Regrettably, with a few exceptions , such as Senator McCain, the Republican Party has chosen to tacitly follow this belligerent fool as he destroys the world order.
30
Republicans in congress will eventually rue the day that they turned a blind eye when Trump revealed himself in Quebec as a traitor. Putin’s marionette had to leave the G7 early because his invisible puppet strings were starting to show.
41
Oh and they will, and that day is quickly approaching, why do you think they are retiring in numbers not seen before.
5
When will the Republicans save us from Trump ? If a Democratic president had performed this way at the G7 they'd be frothing at the mouth. It's time for the GOP to wake up from their nap and take action against this fool in the white house.
13
Is Trump a Manchurian candidate and Putin's puppet? Was this tantrum and break out against Trudeau and other G7 friends the most recent Queen of heart's orders? Was it a rehearsal for the bigger orders and performance to come during the upcoming denuclearization talks with Kim?
17
Dems wont show in Nov midterms.
the party will lose seats in both houses
trump will win a second term.
we deserve whatever horrific thing happens
2
Putins hold over Trumputin. Think that Putin and Trump included in their past discussions, Trumps thinning hair. Putin convinced him that an old and proven Russian custom/treatment for that malady had been around for years. Thus the "Golden Shower" incident. Trumputin got soaked. Problem is his hair turned Orange. Putin and Co. taped the whole episode. Leverage can come in many ways.
11
To borrow a phrase from Lenin (who borrowed it from prior revolutionaries) "what is to be done?" We need a fair, honest election based on issues and competency. Is our system capable of that?
9
20 million Canadians visit the US every year and spend billions of dollars in the US economy. This belligerent and unjustified behavior of Trump against Mr. Trudeau will alienate Canadians and make them less likely to visit the US. I for one have cut down my visits to the US from 2-3 per year to 1 per year since Trump got elected. I'm also intent on not visiting the states that gave Trump a majority, until he's booted out of office. Congratulations Mr. Trump on alienating the citizens of your closest ally and friendly neighbors.
31
Every thing Trump says and does is worse than the one he said or did yesterday. I live in fear of what he will do from hour to hour. If the Republicans in Congress were doing their job he would not get away with all of this but they are not doing their job so he is free to run amok around the world, and he is. What terrifies me the most is what Trump has done to the courts by appointing so many extreme judges. Even if we get a Democratic president and Congress by 2020 we are still stuck with these judges who are doing untold harm every day.
He is a nightmare and I hope the world knows how much most Americans loath him.
26
Trump knows in his heart he hasn't a fraction of the knowledge, intellect or judgment of any of the other G7 leaders. So he compensates by skipping meetings, arriving late when he does attend, not deigning to don earphones when he doesn't understand the language, feigning sleep when he does, and otherwise conveying to the world that what his fellow world leaders have to say is worth neither his time or his interest.
But Merkel and Macron et al. have his number, and he instinctively knows that, too, so back in the cocoon of his sycophants on Air Force 1 he tweets out lies about Canada and insults to Trudeau to make himself feel big and important again.
And precisely because he hasn't a fraction of the knowledge, intellect or judgment of his fellow western world leaders, he hasn't a clue that his G7 performance has destroyed the most importance alliance in the world.
And still no peep from the GOP.
39
There was nothing out-of-the-ordinary in Donald Trump’s recent behavior at the G7 summit; Trump was simply being his usual, narcissistic self. What was truly abnormal here however was the environment; that is, instead of being surrounded by his usual sycophants, Trump’s fragile ego was now confronted at the conference by competing leaders, who dared, for example, to openly, repeatedly contradict him. Consequently, the resultant narcissistic blows were simply too much for Trump, which precipitated both his early theatrical departure from the conference and the subsequent angry twitter storm against his host, Justin Trudeau, whose central casting appearance/behaviors are simply too much for the envious Trump to tolerate.
14
What comes next? That's easy: more amazing insanity mixed in with even more amazing corruption.
13
Trump will not get what he wants from the G7 partners, for the simple reason that Neville Chamberlain proved that appeasing bullies doesn't work. They just become more belligerent.
12
The issue is going to be later. When a new leaders comes in with a bright shiny agenda and the people around the table now have a leverage they never had against us before......
4
The last two paragraphs are perfect and say it all. We are being governed by the equivalent of a 9 year old spoiled child.
14
Thank you to our democratic allies, and especially to our neighbors in Canada who know us so well, for pushing back against the dangerous inanity emanating from the White House. This is a role the majority in Congress should be filling, but in view of their dereliction we Americans are fortunate to have friends elsewhere.
39
What in Mr Trump's past would have made anyone think he would be a calm, studious, thoughtful, and stabilizing presence once he became President?
And yet 60+ million of our fellow Americans elected him to serve as President of the world's most powerful nation.
18
Insightful column, as usual, Dr. Krugman. Maybe Trump is indeed a Russian puppet or maybe he is simply consumed with narcissistic insanity? Who can figure it out at this point? Hopefully Trump will learn from his mistakes as we all play along with his sick little game of enriching himself as much as he can, using the office of the presidency as his latest vehicle. Foreign autocrats are his friends, because that's where the money is. Of course we in the U.S. elected him, so he reflects on all of us. Therefore, it's probably best just to sit back and hope he learns from his "mistakes." Maybe we won't humiliate ourselves any more if we just hope for that. Trump will probably learn, right? Or Mueller is sure to come through for us. Then the GOP will, too, because they have also learned. And voters will come through, just like last time. Yes, let's just sit back and keep the TV turned on with the volume up. What a fun ride it has been, and what a fun ride it will continue to be.
4
Dr Krugman,
It is time to shine the light of truth on what is happening and not blame Donald Trump for what is happening.
It has been 45 years since Nixon put an end to Bretton Woods and the USA took control of the world economy. The world is a much better place for most of its inhabitants. America's best universities have educated the best and brightest from Africa, Asia and the Americas and produced the best scientists, engineers, legal experts and economists the world has ever known. The world is grateful.
The world will not however abide a leader whose leadership is ignorant, corrupt and incompetent. Every day we are convinced that America cannot turn itself around and a world that is led by two military plutocratic superpowers cannot be trusted to make the 21st century a better place for most of its inhabitants.
6
Here is the e-mail address for the Canadian Prime Minister's office:
https://pm.gc.ca/eng/connect
Send him a note apologizing for the boorish behavior of the current president.
I did.
Before it is over, Trump will turn the U.S. into a failed state just like Putin's Russia.
19
Have done the apology.
The humiliation of having Trump representing us is difficult to bear.
14
As a Canadian, I thank all Americans who have apologized for Trump's puerile, petulant behavior. You don't need to. We know that Trump does not speak for the vast majority of Americans. He won't be President forever. The storm clouds will clear and our two great nations, the closest of friends, will get on with life.
18
Thank you for the suggestion and the link.
A measure of the vast gulf between the Prime Minister of Canada and the pResident of the United States, at the link you shared:
"Many Canadians choose to offer gifts to the Prime Minister and his family. These are kind and generous gestures. However, the Trudeau family believes that this goodwill would be better directed towards community, charity and family."
3
Congress, please take back the tariff power you granted to Presidents, Donny is unfit to wield it.
Contact your Congresscritters and demand they take responsibility.
10
Congresscritters....love it.
We have MP, members of Parliament. Critters of Parliament. I’ll try it. Thanks.
1
Further, the fact that Kim, a young leader raised under fascism, is now out in the real world experiencing the reality that our world is a vastly peaceful and prosperous one of Capitalism and small military's. You cite the fact that the Russian GDP is lower than those of Spain and Brazil. Hopefully, this meeting, marred by Trumps arrogance, will show Kim the path to peace and prosperity by shunning fascism such as in Russia that drains their economy.
1
"......... what is still, for the moment, a great power."
Not an observation any reading this column want to read.
1
Typical Economist's world view. All the world's problems can be solved by a clever tweeking of VATs and tariffs. All this unseemly posturing and chest beating accomplishes nothing. Yeah right.
Dr. Krugman, you must admit, the world is changing in unpredictable ways. The unseen hand moves us in unforseen paths based on obscure inputs that no economist ever thought to investigate......the movement of a butterfly's wings cause a hurricane. So far, the tangible results of Trump's behavior has been an EQUALIZATION of tariffs within the NAFTA structure....which was the original intent of the treaty, so horribly sabotaged by the Bush-Clinton-Obama Axis of Evil.
2
Mr. Trump’s so-called economic advisors, Larry Kudlow and Peter Navarro, are as uninformed and ignorant as he is, and they are actually getting paid for their ineptness. In France they would call it, “Grand Guignol,” here I suppose it is called a circus.
15
For our own prosperity and protection.....NAFTA will create the safe zone for the North American Union that is fast developing. Our trade network is jostling up against the Chinese Behemoth that threatens to control the planet. This is no wild-eyed conspiracy rant......As Trump dukes it out with the other leaders(still with their heads planted in the clouds of last century)...China today, under Xi Jinping, is holding its own Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting.....this is the Chinese Trade Network that threatens to crush the USA....it includes nearly every Asian nation, plus Iran, Turkey, Russian Republics, and Africa....with overtures to South America. Thats close to 4billion people lined up in competition with NAFTA.....roughly half a billion people.....and possibly Brexit(the British Commonwealth) with maybe another half billion english speakers.......two and half billion if India plays nice. In the 21st Century game of Risk.....the risk of confrontation is in Africa and South America.....as predicted so many years ago.......
Given the G7 debacle, I shudder to think what might happen in Singapore with Trump and "Rocket Man". An old cartoon of two cavemen waving clubs (which are really missiles) comes to mind.
4
Its a shame so many of our fellow citizens are too ignorant to understand the damage all this is having, setting America back years if not decades in ways that are indiscriminately bad for us.
As institutions - the US, the Western Alliance - it is bad. It is even worse for the global standing of democracy. This level of incompetence and inconsistency from the leader of the worlds most visible democracy will have bitterly lasting damage from which crooks, despots and cruel power seekers the world over will benefit.
9
I don't know if Trump is really trying to break up the Western alliance under orders from Putin, or if he was simply acting like a bully in order to impress Kim Jong Un - the result is the same. We all need to do everything in our power as individuals to make sure that this idiot's ability to wreak havoc is sharply circumscribed. We need a Democratic Congress that will enact as many legislative protections as possible. Voting this November has never been so important!
10
Our country is bordered on both North and south with two great civilizations. Wouldn't it be great if we were working toward a really open, appreciative, collaborative relationship with both Canada and Mexico? Small man, small future for all of us.
7
It's funny (in a sickening way) that the self-professed patriots and defenders of America are selling the country to Putin. He must have something very big and disgusting on Donald.
15
So the grifter from Queens, the person holding the title of President appears at a confab of leaders who in all likelihood had their learned advisors and experts armed with indisputable facts. Then our moron grabs fake facts out of someplace and attempts to dazzle with, well, you know and is called out and his fakery is challenged, so off to a Twitter tantrum he goes in belief he won and America is great again.
It will be interesting what the G6 leaders will do to protect themselves from Trump and insulate their economies from Trump’s toxic “negotiation strategy”.
But we are winning something we have been told.
15
Soon the whole world will come to the realization that most Americans with a brain cell already know: he's as mad as a hatter
11
The damage is permanent. America can never be trusted again. Roll the dice every four years. We can and do elect evil idiots. Four or eight good years can, and almost certainly will, be followed by four or eight years of shame and horror. That is how our pendulum swings. The Pit and the Pendulum.
Our best friend, Canada, may ,in years to come, if and when the pendulum swings back, go through the motions of forgiving us. But Canada will not forget.
Québec's motto: "Je Me Souviens."
13
Is there a place in hell for V.Putin (Mr. Gazputin to you in Italy)?
No? well, shoudn't there be? After all, who has JT caused to die?
2
Time for the west to take the Stormy Daniels’ approach and give him a good spanking.
https://www.macleans.ca/opinion/trade-sanctions-against-america-wont-wor...
12
It's no longer MAGA. It's SMRGA! Stop Making Russia Great Again! Let's predict Trump's next love gift he'll send to Putin. Removal of US troops from Europe? Exchanging weapons design secrets? Marrying Baron to Yaketerina Putina? Opening an Aeroflot factory in Seattle? Selling Jack Daniels to Moskovskaya Osobaya Vodka? Selling Exxon Mobil to Rasnoft? (take that Rex T!). All in the name of national security.
7
Next, Trump will call Trudeau a lying fat old amoral philanderer with fake hair . . . and Trump's base will buy it.
15
Now we know, Our president is many things, but Rex Tillerson had it right all along. Trump’s a flipping moron,
27
Trump must be a Russian Robot, or the alternative is that he is privy to the Republican/Russia "New World Order". Check the power lines for subaudible low frequency waves simulating thoughts brain waves.
4
Today on his show on MSNBC Ali Velshi had an Oklahoma congressman. It takes a great deal to make the congenial Ali Velshi to call the out what someone is saying utter nonsense.
I have in the course of the last decade commented that GOP America would become Trump's America. I was told it can't happen here. I will call attention again to John Ralston Saul's 1992 NYT best seller Voltaire's Bastards (The Dictatorship of Reason in the West and his 2005 The Collapse of Globalism and the Reinvention of the World. Well it has happened there.
Your country is run by know nothing incompetents and all your genius and expertise cannot figure out how to get them out of power.
I pray there is some sane leadership in the military because your executive, legislative and judicial branches are run by your most incompetent, ignorant and most corrupt people.
22
The Oklahoma congressman's name was Markwayne (one word!) Mullin and his nonsensical statements prompted a quick Google. At a town hall meeting with constituents, he once stated that they didn't pay his congressional salary; I suppose, thereby absolving himself of the necessity of replying to inconvenient questions. Another time, he referred to the government as "being ran by four branches." Check Markwayne Mullin/food stamps. This guy gives a new dimension to incompetence and he's in his third term. What does that say about the electorate? I despair.
2
It's bizarre to pick a trade fight with Canada and Europe. First, these are nations that value global stability and the rule of law, and generally follow the rules. Second, the cost of living is roughly the same as the U.S., or higher in some cases. So they aren't stealing jobs by paying workers $5 per day, ignoring safety and environmental regulations, and using the power of the state to brutally suppress organized labor. For the most part, they're not really competing on the basis of producing things cheaper than it is possible for American companies to produce them. If they are selling a product for less than U.S. companies, it's probably because they found a more efficient means of producing it that doesn't involve putting the screws to their workforce to work harder for lower wages.
12
Trump despises democracy, and rational governance. He wants rule by fiat--his fiat. He's quite clear that if he stamps his foot, he expects every other nation on earth to kneel before him and most of all obey.
I can't think of any nation on earth that would want to give him that satisfaction, in fact quite the opposite. Everyone will now set their considerable minds to work figuring out how to get him out of power, at least power over them and their citizens' lives.
3
Yes Canada imposes high tariffs on dairy imports from the USA. I agree they are high and they should be lowered (even we Canadians get way over-charged by our "supply management system" for domestically produced dairy products). HOWEVER in the total scheme of things these tariffs are miniscule as compared to bigger ticket trade items like auto, lumber, steel, aluminum et al. where the USA has overall a trade surplus with Canada. Trump simply will not deal with the facts of trade between our two countries, either out of ignorance or willfulness or both. Whatever happens, (1) let's stop talking about dairy imports which are insignificant and a non-issue. (2) stop the ad hominem attacks on our Prime Minister, and talk about real trade issues and the status of Canada as a historically and continuing valued ally of the USA.
14
Isn't the Canadian tariff on dairy products in part to minimize the growth hormone that the US allows in our dairy products?
6
Not really. The tariffs are a secondary consequence of our regulating the domestic production of dairy in order to prevent overproduction and thus keep a stable financial return for our farmers. It sets quotas on production (and thus access to the available domestic market) the same way we set quotas on the commercial fishery.
At it's most basic, it's not really much different from the idea of limiting the number of taxi licenses in order to prevent a glut of taxis on the market.
1
About 50 years ago, I was responsible for granting security clearances for access to high priority intelligence gathering space programs, based on extended background investigations. Such programs required “must know” as opposed to just “need to know”.
We looked for irresponsible behavior and/or possible criminal activities. Trump and several of his family members would not have qualified.
33
Even as a Russian surrogate, which is becoming progressively and disturbingly a realistic possibility, Trump must sense he is way over his head the erudition and intellectual firepower facing him at such meetings.
What will happen at the next similair get together or even the next G7 ..if there is one?
Donald should have been in Quebec glad handing and lubing up the western alliance rather than shoving bees up everyone’s nose. Where is the profit here for a tycoon who said he could be “so presidential”.
9
"Trade wars are easy to win."
So long as you don't mind paying more for items made from steel or aluminum.
So long as you don't mind losing jobs because of decreasing demand due to boycotts and lower demand.
So long as you don't mind paying more taxes (or increasing the deficit) when Trump tries to compensate those affected businesses (not their workers) due to the counter-tariffs.
But hey, We showed them! (we showed them who is really really ignorant). And most of all, look at all the attention our Narcissist in Chief gets.... I mean, what is most important?
13
The time for taking to the streets approaches.
22
It is a waste of time to write about to write about a celebrity New Yorker, just smart enough, with lots of borrowed money over the years to be viable. Something happens to too many people who spend too many years in New York, including him, Rudy Giuliani, Bill de Blasio, Andrew Cuomo, to name just a few! They get elected to high office?!
4
"he demanded that they stop doing bad things they aren’t doing. ... it was a declaration of ignorance ..."
Trump knows that services like golf rounds and hotel stays have to be included in the list of things Canadians buy from the US. When he pretends that only "goods" count that is a deliberate lie.
6
I still don't understand when Trump stands for such a small portion of this country and for a fact he lies, like he did at this conference.
I believe there are some smart GOP legislators with moral compasses. Why are they not speaking out strongly against Trump? Why are not any legislators taking to the floor and saying that Trump's policies do not represent the country. I feel like there has been a hostile takeover of the United States and we are now ruled by a dictator. How can he dictate when we are still a democracy.
I am not a lawyer very obviously or a history major very obviously or an American Studies major. Somehow I had the belief that the popular majority and good would prevail.
Instead, the minority is bullying everyone and every single action is bad for democracy and this country. Where is the HUGE OUTCRY??????????????????????????????????
13
63,000,000, yep, small portion of the country. Mr. Krugman, you've embarrassed yourself again. We as a country have given into our "Allies" for far too long. People like you have advocated for the destruction of the Middle Class and the American dream. Why? So you can pad your pockets and your buddies on Wall Street can pad their pockets. Under your President, Barack Obama, the gap between the rich v poor increased 60%, to record levels. Under Mr. Obama, .93 of ever dollar gained in his "recovery" went to the rich in this country. Sorry, you have given up your position as an authority on economic issues. You are a partisan hack, a guy who has his wife write his columns. Sit down, your time is past.
4
The amazing thing about Trump's performance at the G7
Conference is that people are shocked and dismayed by his behavior in Toronto. He is the same Donald Trump he has always been. He is the Donald Trump who a a majority of the White American electorate voted for.
13
People are confused and mis-informed enough...the G7 Conference was in Quebec, the Charlevoix region...lovely, beautiful area, and given the exchange rate well worth the visit...and there's no wall...yet. lol
From this side of the border, President Trump is the leader who looks weak and deceitful. He probably cannot revoke NAFTA without the approval of Congress, and certainly not with mid-term elections just ahead. It’ just isn't not a winning pitch for many border-state politicians and business interests. Hence the extraordinary, extraneous invocation of national security with which to impose a new spiked tariff wall. Here's hoping the US Constitution will catch up with him someday.
12
Why was someone like Trump elected in the first place. First, because, in many ways, this country's anachronistic institutions, starting with the Electoral College, followed by the Second Amendment, and a miniscule and ever smaller safety net.
Second, because far too many Americans are racists, most not raving racists but plausible denial racists. Crypto-racists. They don't hate the "other," people with last names like mine. They can read the Census projections and by 2016 they saw that they in danger of losing their status of the default Americans. Racists of all stripes still are a minority but one big enough to elect a president under the Electoral College anachronism.
16
When will the rest of the world call this rogue what he is, and aim new tariffs squarely at his own businesses? If you want to get through Trump's thick skull, hit him where it hurts -- his pocketbook. That is probably the only way to get him to understand the message that you hit us, we'll hit you back -- hard.
19
CIA public figures give Russia a $4 trillion GDP (2017 estimate) and Spain a $1.8 Trillion GDP, much different than the 2007 figures you reference.
Here is the CIA ref: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/20...
1
The World Bank data Mr. Krugman linked to his article appears to be more current...not that it makes much difference in context of points he raises.
1
Why is everyone - the media and members of congress and other elected officials - pretending that Trump is not mentally ill when he so obviously is? I never thought we would sink so low, but we are now in the gutter.
16
Trump bankrupted nearly every business he laid his hands on. Why would running the US economy be any different?
28
That is simply a lie. Either four or six, depending on how you define it, out of Trump's more than 200 business ventures required bankruptcy protection. To anyone with the slightest knowledge of business, that is a pretty good record of accomplishment.
1
But does HE realize that it is a humiliating debacle? He seems to think that he is doing well. And even more confusing are his supporters who agree that he is doing well, in spite of all evidence to the contrary.
15
I guess the answer is, when you are mentally ill, you can't recognize how ill you are.
8
For all you folks so distressed by Canadian tariffs on American dairy products please remember American dairy farmers receive an array of subsidies and supports estimated at around $30 billion dollars. Plus dairy farms are frequently employers of undocumented workers instead of paying higher wages for American workers. Why should Canadian dairy farmers be expected to compete with American dairy farmers receiving taxpayer subsidies? Let Donald Trump visit with dairy farmers in Wisconsin and Michigan to tell them no more subsidies and adios undocumented labor, then see how they vote. And we sell Canadians more in dairy products than we buy.
In a more general sense Americans forget that it is American owners and executives who send jobs abroad. Those decisions are not made by foreign workers, they are not made by American unions, they are made in executive suites. Do not blame foreigners for decisions made by Americans. If you want to bring back jobs to the US make it unprofitable to close factories in the US and relocate to Mexico or Thailand. Make it unprofitable for Ivanka to produce goods in China. But do not blame others for our selective attention to facts.
38
Best comment I've seen.
You should run for public office.
2
Somehow the Democrats cannot bring themselves to utter messages this clearly.
Trump is 100% a politician. Everything he does is to excite his base. Unfortunately, the president is supposed to do what is best for the United States. Trump only does what is best for Trump.
12
Listened today to an even-tempered Ms. Merkel on the Anne Will show touching on the G7 meeting. No temper tantrums, meltdowns, hissyfits - would not have expected anything different from her. Trump is mistaken if he thinks he can push Putin into the "club" again - not with Russia's GDP. On the other hand, the EU countries are always discussing issues with Russia on many subjects.
11
This was an informative article, with tariff sources. It is difficult for a layman to know how much is really being charged, country to country. Thank you Paul.
5
If the European Union wants to make it obvious, I suggest to remove the 10% import taxes on cars made in U.S. Once Ram 3500 and Ford F-350 will be 10% cheaper, sales inside the European Union will increase from 0 to none.
Europeans are looking for not too expensive small cars or fuel efficient mid-size cars, Americans are building overpriced or oversized trucks. Perfect example of products manufactured in U.S. with poor value for the money and impossible to export.
16
The dairy issue is far more fraught than any discussion has so far noticed. Milk pricing in the US is complicated and damaging to many farmers, far more damaging that the Canadian tariffs. Trump's trade nincompoops appear not to be aware not only of how VAT works, but how milk pricing works in the US.
13
Thank you Dr. Krugman for not playing the normalization game. The G7 meeting was a complete fiasco but too many opinion makers are hedging their bets, just in case Trump gets a "win" in Singapore or the Europeans come up with another conciliatory gesture that makes Trump look strong. We need more voices like Paul Krugman, David Leonhardt and Jennifer Rubin who are willing to honestly and bluntly call our infantile president on his diplomatic disasters.
19
So, while his cabinet picks and his executive orders are dismantling our consumer protections, clean air, and public health, he himself is dismantling our system of alliances in favor of Russia first and China first. I am beginning to believe that stuff about the Manchurian candidate. It is obvious with this president that our Constitution is defective. It practically gives the president the power of a king. I have to believe that elections in the fall will be the beginning of the end of Trump. Right now, I have no plan two unless it is hope that the special prosecutor will discover the Russian connection.
16
The trouble is that the Constitution relies on three co-equal branches of government to stop excesses and outrageous behavior. Instead we have an angry, uninformed narcissist as President; a legislative branch where the majority party exists in a servile, unctuous, voiceless thralldom to said narcissist; and a serious attempt to pack the courts with lackey judges. We need to elect legislators with the spine to honor their oaths of office, and stand up to the Pouter in chief.
3
Trump may be President and notionally in charge of the Executive Branch, but he couldn't lead a blind man across the road without getting him run over.
11
Tom and Daisy from the Great Gatsby were very much like Donald Trump all rolled up in one
“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.”
F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
22
We no longer live in an age of reason in the United States. Trump takes everything to the extreme, whether he's working for the Russians or just perpetually ensconced in his own insanity. Why bother arguing about the reasons anymore? Mueller will get the job done, or not. Voters will dump the GOP in the midterms, or not. Trump will be dumped in 2020, or not. We can hope for the best, but we need to see the world for what it really is, before it's too late.
If I were Justin Trudeau, I would immediately buy some centrifuges, initiate a uranium-enrichment program, and begin construction of an array of nuclear test sites. He might as well ratchet things up, at least as an example. What will Trump's next move be when he sees U.S. allies developing nuclear weapons as a hedge against the U.S.? He's going to fight everyone? Or everyone will disarm under the Libya model?
United we stand, divided we fall. The world needs to come together against Trump. The U.S. needs an intervention. (And I'm only partly kidding about Trudeau or anyone else willing to step up to inject some realism into the pathetic nightmare Trump is inflicting on the world.)
18
From a conservative, former Fox News analyst and retired US Army intelligence officer, Lt. Col Ralph Peters -
"I am convinced that Vladimir Putin has a grip on President Trump.And, Anderson, when I first learned of the Steele dossier, it just rang true to me because that's how the Russians do things. And before he became a candidate for president, Donald Trump was the perfect target for Russian intelligence. Here's someone who has no self-control, a sense of sexual entitlement and intermittent financial crises. I mean that's made to order for seduction by Russian intelligence."
28
Trump was upset because the 6 didn’t fall all over him about his NK summit. So he sent his minions out to bash Trudeau. Trudeau has my support as he behaves more like a man than Trump ever will and he’s much better looking.
25
Someone needs to expose Peter Navarro's long history of inconsistency, reversals, paranoia, and other irrationalities going back to his days in southern California politics, including a strange run for San Diego mayor back in the 70s. It is frightening that he has gained influence over Trump.
21
Rather than get mixed up in a trade war with the US, Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, should just subsidize Canadian sellers in order to stabilize the price in US dollars of Canadian goods sold here regardless of the US tariff.
For instance $100US of Canadian goods sold here would still be sold here for $100US even with an added 25% tariff. The Canadian seller would drop the price to $80US subject to an extra $20US added by the tariff creating the same final selling price as before. Canada would then reimburse the Canadian seller for the lost $20US, but in Canadian currency.
1
G& meeting is not Trumps league, period
maybe he was just acting out because he couldn’t stand having to spend hours with powerful people who will neither flatter him nor bribe him by throwing money at his family businesses – people who, in fact, didn’t try very hard to hide the contempt they feel for the man leading what is still, for the moment, a great power.
21
Obama needs to step up. He is trusted by the world community more than any other American. He needs to assure our nervous allies that in November we will start to right this listing ship. In 2020 the nightmare will be over and America will be on the way back. In time, it will be like Trump never existed. (Except when we remember we may not have gotten universal healthcare without his gigantic provocations that put the Dems back in control.)
10
I love Obama. But how can he "assure" anyone of anything? Fact is he can't. He, like everyone else, has no idea what the future will bring in the Age of Trump.
6
In many parliamentary democracies leaders are not retired when their role as chief executive ends, due to elections or term limits.
By now, we ought not expect much, certainly nothing worth mentioning, from Trump's behavior, as it is utterly primitive and based on brute force, by chest thumping about his glaring stupidity, and by trying to rip allies' hearts in the process. As Canada's Trudeau speaks up in trying to stop the trampling by this ugly American in-chief, his dimwitted genuflectors doubling down on cheap insults on a Canadian gentleman's just words to stop Trump's assault. Does America deserve such a thug, ruining it's reputation while sowing fear and hate? Why should we take such a petulant big-mouth abuser on his word? No adult in the room where decisions are made, where Earth's survival is at stake? Trump is a poisonous snake on steroids, emboldened by our cowardice in failing to speak the truth, stop his lying.
14
It's sick, but this country is being held hostage by a malevolent moron: Donald Trump, and the Republican party is complicit.
32
Donald may wake up one morning and find out that he is all alone in his playpen.
11
Mr. Krugman, please don't be right, but you are. Trump's declares ignorance every time he speaks. How do I know? I knew within the first minute I ever heard him blather. His minions trip all over one another to dumb-le down on his idiocy. Attacking your allies on the world stage immediately before going to meet with your enemy is bizarro world diplomacy. It's stupid. Demanding Russia be in the G7? I guess that's just trump paying back his lenders. De Niro said it best at the Tony's.
13
Go ahead USA, see how it goes going it alone in the world. The G6 countries know what they're dealing with. They will get together (like rational allies) and isolate you. It's the only way to deal with a country that breaks its promises, that has a blatant LIAR for a leader.
Any agreement made between you and the rest of the world will be deemed to not be worth the paper its printed on.
Not only that, even after this Idiot in Chief is long gone, the other countries in the world that you need as friends will not trust the electorate in the USA to not vote in someone even worse.
You are doing serious damage to yourselves.
Mark Eisenman
and American citizen (and once proud of it)
36
Please don’t paint all of us with a broad brush that makes us all as whacky as Trump. Most of us are just as surprised and shocked as the rest of those in the G6.
10
I know that most Americans did not vote for Trump, and am trying not to generalize. I am just sorry that the Congress isn't living up to the concept of checks and balances that the constitution demands.
2
Mark, I recommend your comment, but do not let your malice (which is justified) spill over onto Americans who appreciate and value our allies. Because we have a disgusting, reprehensible, corrupt, LYING president and administration, does not implicate ALL of us. Yes, there are trump supporters, and they are operating either as hateful racists, misogynists, and xenophobes, or ill-informed, easily-led pawns, or uber-wealthy and greed-infused. (Or a combination of those three trump-supporter traits.) The rest of us are suffering, too, under this misanthropic, miserable, malicious lunatic. and his equally deceitful and repulsive administration. I also blame the Electoral College for foisting this maniac upon us...and Russian interference. It is amazing and petrifying to me that people who should be BEHIND BARS have absconded with our government, and have turned it into a syndicate for criminals to operate and steal from! It is not all of us who are responsible for doing serious damage to ourselves. Would you blame all the Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, retarded, chronically ill, or anyone who disagreed with the Nazi regime for the Nazi atrocities, or for the proliferation of Nazi policies? The Nazis were killing all these people, just as trump and his cronies are disenfranchising and harming millions of vulnerable Americans, as well as alienating our allies. Millions of us are horrified!
5
Crying over spilled milk? The US economy is double the size of all those G-6 NATO deadbeats combined!
Who's side are you on Krugman?
2
@hawk: “We pay so much disproportionately more for NATO. We are getting ripped off by every country in NATO, where they pay virtually nothing, most of them. And we’re paying the majority of the costs.” - Donald Trump
NATO is a mutual defence organization and there is a formula established for how much each country contributes to direct NATO costs. The US pays 22%. Not most; not the lion’s share.
As for overall military spending, the US spends 3.7% of its GDP on its own military, arguably to assert its power globally and well beyond the North Atlantic. It’s the US’s choice to spend more than the 2% guideline for NATO member countries. Yes, many countries don’t meet the 2% guideline (and its only a guideline, not a requirement) - and that’s less than ideal - but a median 1.18% of GDP is certainly not “virtually nothing”. Trump doth exaggerate, and so do you with the “deadbeat” assertion.
9
I think the EU's economy is about the same size as the US's economy.
6
Hawk, our economy is double the size of all those G-6 deadbeats, because they trade in our money, send their goods and services here, invest their profits here, and build factories here in this country, employing American workers within. What Krugman is trying to point out is that sacrificing the relationships, treaties, and leadership that got us where we are is NOT going to help anyone in our country, and will in fact be counter to our interests. Krugman is on YOUR side, Hawk- its just going to take a little longer for it to sink in for you.
3
It's become pretty clear that there is no brilliant strategy behind MAGA and trump foreign policy (other than it sounds good to the aggrieved and uninformed), otherwise trump wouldn't be enraged all the time. Seems to me his malignant narcissism is now completely out of control, unfortunately egged on by the brain trust of Bolton and Kudlow. (Mr. Kudlow, I think you misinterpret who the special place in hell is meant for.)
In looking at Time magazine's cover, I don't think trump sees a mere king. It took a lot of uncharacteristic restraint for him to state that Lincoln was the only president better than him, and he has compared himself to Jesus because their fathers were both "builders". I never thought I'd say this because religious extremists are pretty scary, but Pence would be preferable to crazy trump.
Trump is a liar.
11
Any backlash from DeNiro's expletive on Prime Time National Television from the network that showed it?
2
The G-6 are now committed to regime change. With Trump's left arm hanging limp, that is a precursor to a heart attack. To accelerate the event, stress, lack of sleep, high salt and fat diet, etc. are called for.
To this end, the G-6 can create a crisis per day for the WH. Cancel the visit with the Queen, then cancel the trip to the UK at the last minute. The Netherlands can revoke the credentials of the US ambassador for his neo-Nazi speeches. Canada can recall its ambassador for consultations. Overflight rights for Air
Force 1 (Trump Air) will be denied. Might even be fun to watch the dotard disintegrate and the Repugnants watch in wonder.
40
"The G-6 are now committed to regime change." Good thought. In the next American election they will be working hard behind the scenes to counter whatever mischief Putin gets up to. That is what allies are for.
4
Halt traffic at Buffalo/Niagara Falls and Detroit unpredictably, too.
And then, Steve, on top of all that, let Mr. Mueller subpoena the dotard.
Trump is crazy and embarrassing along with being a whinging wimp who didn't have the guts to say anything to Trudeau until he got on the plane and his tiny fingers were on his cell phone sending twitter messages. Twitter from a twit. Pathetic that Traitor Trump is the ugly face of the US.
33
Nonsense.
A boorish slovenly ignorant immature incompetent intemperate insecure skunk tried to crash the party picnic in Quebec. But all he left was his foul familiar tiresome stench.
17
We will all pay the price for Trump's stupidity.
9
America’s apparent disregard for the established rules of international trade and the lack of reliability with respect to adhering to established trade treaties is an issue of national security for Canada as a vast proportion of our economy is based on a trade treaty with the US. Despite Trump’s assertions, Canada is clearly no national security threat to the USA.
Trump’s erratic behaviour highlights that the US can’t be trusted to adhere to agreements or negotiate modifications in good faith. And apparently the US politician system with its myriad checks and balances doesn’t consider trade worthy of checks or balances. So cooler heads are powerless.
We’ll all probably get over whatever happens here. But the damage to the US’s standing and reputation globally will be lasting, and it may take decades to rebuild the global order that Trump may destroy in a couple of years.
America First and everyone else last may work for some short-term gains. In the medium-term, it’ll be America Alone.
11
Trade deficits were a problem until now there not according to Mr Krugman. Why, because as a pragmatic President, President Trump see a problem that is affecting American business and American workers and wants to fix it.
Of course when there is a obvious trade imbalance that results in american jobs and manufacturing leaving America to these countries. Obviously, there leaders are going to oppose it.
Just like having the G-6 members pay their fair share of NATO President is representing America. I thought that was what our President was suppose to do
3
No. You really just don't understand.
6
Our trade deficits are in products, because from the 1990s on the titans of our economy began to prefer Wall Street and financial transactions over building and producing any meaningful products. Tech changed that a bit, except that too is not produced in the US.
1
Gary, do you understand that this was a meeting of like minds? These are not our enemies. These are not our adversaries. The G-7 is a friendly group meant to coordinate and help one another. Trump is a fool. Trump does not have a clue how things run. Trump is a fraud.
These two lines tell us all we need to know about the "Debacle in Quebec": "He didn’t put America first; Russia first would be a better description...This wasn’t a tough stance on behalf of American interests, it was a declaration of ignorance and policy insanity."
This, again, raises the question: What is the hold that Putin has on Trump? Do we now have the Putin-Trump Party, rather than the Republican Party, in control of the White House and the houses of Congress?
23
Yes.
1
Regarding the photo taken by Bolton--all of the G-7 participants standing grimly around the table, save our POTUS, who is sitting, arms crossed, ugly expression on his face. I have the perfect caption:
"Would someone send out for 13 sandwiches and a bale of hay?"
"At the very least it will damage America’s reputation as a reliable ally for decades to come."
The "rest" of America, the majority of voters who chose Clinton over the vile creature that now occupies and soils the White House, must send a message to our allies to respond forcefully to Trump's infantile provocations, but to remember that Trump is not forever. It is only a little over 2 years to the next presidential election. With Trump gone, the West can rebuild the connections that the Baby Emperor is trying to sever.
We must not allow four years of Trump and Republican depravity to destroy what we built over decades.
32
I went to the local flag shop today and got a couple small Canadian flags. National security threat that they are, should Canada attack across the DMZ, I mean Detroit River, we here will be among the very first casualties. Maybe having a small Canadian flag might spare me from the looting and pillaging sure to follow after the initial wave of assault troops hit our shores and break out over I-96.
21
So our pardon-happy president now wants to give one to Putin, figuring he and Russia had suffered enough from the seizure of Crimea, invasion of Ukraine, downing of a civilian aircraft and more, and now deserves reinstatement to the G-7, making it again G-8.
Result: Our allies want no part of it, a few Republicans in Congress are growing backbones and those who are convinced that Trump is ensconced in Putin's pocket have another reason to say "See!"
3
One thing to keep in mind is that many Americans do not support the current international order because they believe, oftentimes with justification, that it doesn't benefit them, and in many cases works against them. Witness the many communities across America devastated by local factories moved overseas, and suffering epidemics of opioid addiction and suicides. Establishment attitudes toward these citizens were perhaps summarized by Mrs. Clinton in India, where she characterized them as unproductive bigots, jealous of the economic success of immigrants.
Under the leadership of FDR,Truman, and Eisenhower, the Establishment of pre and postwar America learned from the rise of domestic Communism in the 1930's that widespread prosperity was necessary for citizen support of the government and its policies. Today's Establishment has forgotten that lesson, and we are saddled with Mr. Trump and his depredations.
8
And who moved all that know how and factories overseas? The Trump billionaire class.
1
Paul... Trump has the power to make the world's stock markets go up or down based on an angry tweet and an ignorant tariff. Do you think Trump is paying his massive debt to the Russian oligarchs by signaling them before he sends the market up or down?
9
“Which would be hard for them to do, because their actual tariff rates are very low.”
Really?
NYT reports in another article today, that Canada has a 275% tarrif on all American dairy products for the sole purpose of keeping Canada’s cheese industry pure. What do the Japanese (our friends) charge on rice products, the percentage must be in the thousands by now.
1
Overall, tariffs are low: for Canada, it's .8%, whereas in reverse, we are 1.6%.
If Canada wants to protect its cheese industry, which is fairly minor in comparison to the total volume of trade, so be it. We don't have to "win" every line item in the deal.
The whole point of the trade acts agreed to by the major powers is to ensure peace and prosperity to as many as is possible. That doesn't mean that ALL will enjoy the same percentage of prosperity as some.
The greatest issue impacting equity in this country aren't trariffs, it is corporations not investing in workers (CEOs make 270% or more!!?!) and the weakening of unions and worker bargaining power agreed to by the very workers most at risk.
23
Actually, the USA produces a lot of rice--not a good comparison.
1
Yes, and let's not forget the big guy corporations that use their off-shore savings and tax cuts to buy back their own stock in order to inflate the value; oh yes, how many big guys have set up shop in "cheap" labor countries? What happened to the workers left behind? Just wondering.
Americans that care about the evil antics of Trump should boycott all Trump products all the time. Never, ever stay in one of his properties (which are down 6.5% in NYC compared to Trump's competitors) and boycott Ivanka's clothes.
16
It really starts to make me feel sick, I mean, I honestly feel physical discomfort when I read Trump's tweets. Just look at those from today, about NATO. Again he is cherrypicking numbers, inflate them and throw them into a wrong context.
But that is not why I feel sick, I feel sick because I see that it works. His tactics works. More and more people start thinking "he's got a point". And of course he has, everybody, well almost everybody can look at a certain point of trade, justice or whatever, and find that it is not perfect. But a leader of Trump's magnitude should not have tunnel vision and, more importantly, he should not advocate tunnel vision. He has a huge responsibility which includes The Big Picture. The big picture has a minus there, a plus there...
There are many systems in place in this world that are broken, but if you want to repair a house, you cannot start by ripping apart its foundation.
15
Paul Krugman makes a point here that, as a Canadian, I always think of when I think of the Trump presidency and I have never seen stated before in the American press. The fact that it was possible for Donald Trump to get elected President of the US in and of itself creates a feeling of unease and distrust in me.
28
Me too; VERY uneasy!
2
Agreed, but how about Ford in Ontario???
1
The western alliance needs to wake up and move on without us. My recommendation would be to identify strategic industries like aerospace and defense, software, computer operating systems and semiconductors and develop your own solutions and then move on. (And send those US Troops stationed in Europe back to the US.)
14
Europe has solutions for every situation cited. So the irony is a failure, I'm afraid.
3
It looks like a Putin-Trump nexus against Western European democracies and the American alliance.
We will see what November, 2018 congressional elections can do to put a stop to that. Probably not much for things that need the POTUS signature. Then there is impeachment that will fail in the Senate (unless Trump has made enough enemies among Republican.)
And Mueller can't bring Trump down by himself. It looks like 2020 is our best chance to depose Trump.
6
both chambers will remain republican, according to the latest poles, and, more importantly, my owns sense of visiting OH, PA, and MI as of last week, so - yes, you're correct - not much, if anything.
Or reinforce the President’s positions and strength. We ll see who s right.
If that happens, it will mean that there is something profoundly wrong somewhere. Institutions we can fix. We can't fix people, and if who we are in total consolidates behind Trump, we are truly in trouble.
I don't think that will happen.
In World War II the British were able to crack the German naval code which resulted in the sinking of many U-boats. Sometimes they had to allow some allied ships to be sunk because the Germans would have been able to figure out that the the code was cracked.
Trump's sanctions against Russia are nothing but a smokescreen so that we don't figure out that Trump is compromised. Putin's biggest enemy is the Western Alliance; his country is only the world's 12th largest economy behind Italy. Ask yourself which country benefits from a fractured West? There is only one answer.
22
It wasn't all bad.
Trump's beautiful serenade on the balalaika was positively haunting.
17
Agree 100%. In addition: Good manners cost nothing; another aspect of economics the Trump administration does not understand.
28
Thank you, Mr. Krugman, for the concise interpretation of what happened in Quebec. It wasn't good, and what comes next won't be good, either.
23
who is going to actually benefit from the dissolution of the atlantic alliance? certainly not the majority of americans, but what about the top one percent. those wealthy enough to have no allegiance to any particular country. the ones that can move their billions around at will and move themselves to where there is no civil unrest. these are the people that trump and his republican supporters are playing for.
22
Trump in Tantrum XXXXVXXXIII (Confession: I don't know sufficiently high Roman numerals.)
15
When you say "helping to avoid a replay of the 1930s", I assume you mean the Smoot-Hawley act.
Just as with the recent marshmallow revision of evidence, I think we should examine the premise that protectionism had a major role in the great depression.
Protectionism may have been incidental to the depression, not the cause.
Historical evidence on protectionism does not indicate it causes depressions. Evidence for that is that from 1895 to 1900 the US had extremely high tariffs and high growth. Also during the Reagan years trade barriers rose and economic growth rose.
2
Not a very good assumption, though you get credit for being pedantic. It is much more likely that Mr. Krugman meant "a replay of the 1030's" to be another great depression. When choosing between alternate interpretations, choose the one that makes the most sense, not the one that is easily refutable.
5
#fakenews
how does that feel, punk?
1
...AND the deficit soared !
Russia did not invade Ukraine,they took back Crimea,where the population there fully supported returning to Russia.How many Iraqis supported American invasion and control of Iraq.The world is changing,Trump is reacting to the decrease of American power so he behaves as immature nationalist and you know many americans support Donalds outbursts,its a brave new world.
2
Actually a significant portion of Ukrainians living in the Crimea region opposed Russia's action in Crimea. Many had to flee to the west to avoid persecution by Russian soldiers and active ground conflicts are ongoing.Crimean's have lost thier right to a democratically elected government. Plus all the Ukrainians in the western part of the country that object to their country being torn in two. I might be happy to see Texas return to Mexico, it was Mexico's land, but a huge part of the US population would not. No foreign government sponsored military take over of another country or part of another country is lawful or should be treated lightly. Additionally Russia uses the creation of separatist regions in countries bordering the European Union to prevent those countries from joining the EU.
22
Not me. Trump is a disgrace and he makes me ashamed to be an American.
He is an arrogant, ignorant, racist beholden to corporations intent on ruining the environment for the sake of almighty profits.
Oh yes, he is also a dotard.
1
the population in crimea had no choice.
putin almost lost crimea. that's the irony. before the maidan revolt, russia had a comfortable grip on crimea, with that enormous base at sebastopol. but then putin overplayed his hand, got yanukovitch to reject the eurozone in favor of the eurasian union (remember that?) and all hell broke loose, and for a while, it looked as if ukraine could go all in for europe and he would lose crimea. so he did what he had to do. but it was stupid he even had to do that. now he's mired down in donetz looking bad and losing money.
Isn't it about time for someone - Congress, the FBI, the CIA - to determine exactly what the Russians are holding over Trump's head. It is obvious that he is an agent of the Kremlin. Isn't it time that we learn exactly what makes him favor Russia, long an adversary of our country, over our long time allies. And shouldn't we find out before he destroys the Western alliance?
75
It was the time before the election, now it is a little bit too late.
That Russia is the US's "adversary" is in large part the fault of the US itself in its policies, deceptions, and actions starting in 1989 and continuing through the present day. And I do not mean by this any endorsement of Donald Trump.
1
Think branded hotels. Trump Dacha etc.
1
Dear Gray Lady,
What we need to hear about is how US companies will be affected by tariff disruptions of their global supply chains. Not that I have a great deal of sympathy for US corporations who have just had their taxes cut by 40%. As a citizen, a consumer, and an investor, I need to know who are the winners and losers.
You have one of the best financial minds in the US on your staff in the person of Mr. Andrew Ross Sorkin. Perhaps he would take this assignment?
To your esteemed readers, I would say that this issue is likely underappreciated. Most global companies source their materials supplies from all over the world. When this commerce is disrupted by tariffs, the result might be massive dislocations in local goods and services. A seemingly small 10% tariff could have a multiplier effect and result in massive price dislocations. These might be temporary, but we all know that if the price of something doubles, it generally is never restored to its former low level.
In short: If tariffs become reality... stow your tray table and tighten your seat belt; it's going to be quite a ride.
29
Unplanned supply dislocations invariably raise costs.
2
Thank you Paul Krugman for today's thoughtful, factual based column. Trump doesn't believe in our country's historic alliances. He has no respect for people who are intelligent and knowledgeable. Nor does he respect other people and their points of views.
There's nothing wrong about looking out our country's best interests; but in should be done with some basic knowledge of the facts. The fact that he and his so-called economic advisers equate VATs with tariffs is either disingenuous or woefully ignorant. VATs are the same as the sales taxes levied her in the U.S. However, worse than his ignorance, is his incredibly childish, boorish behavior.
And then there's his obsession with Putin. Whether it's the rumored compromising Moscow hotel tapes or his financial ties to certain oligarchs, there's definitely something not quite right about his obsession with Putin and in the end that's the biggest threat to our country.
30
What you are really saying is that facts matter. But they need to matter to voters other than those who read the NYT for their news. How do you get that message out to those who may have a little buyer's remorse and need to vote blue in the midterms. Maybe the only way is a trade war that hurts.
18
There's no need to convince anyone of anything, unless it's convincing people with a modicum of critical thinking to register to vote and to go to the polls. The majority simply needs to wrest back the government and stabilize the country.
Then we can discuss things in a more rational manner with those who disagree on fundamental national values.
18
Indeed. Change rarely occurs by arguing, posting comments, or social media battles. Change happens when people are deeply and personally effected. Perhaps a pitchfork rebellion in the midwest based on the looming trade war is exactly what we need. Not everyone can or will ever be convinced; there just needs to be enough to tip the scales and overcome the various obstacles that SCOTUS continues to erect like their recent Ohio voter registration ruling and Citizen's United.
5
So wrong. Have you ever actually tried to "discuss things in a more rational manner" with a committed Trump voter?
1
As pathetic, embarrassing and disgraceful Trump is, the hysteria about long-term consequences is overblown. When we once again have a president with knowledge of history, economics and America' leadershipi role, we will be welcomed back into the world community with relief and open arms. We are too important an economy, a keeper of peace and an example to the world not to quickly overcome this truly disgusting aberration.
4
Time heals all wounds. Trumputin personifies the ultimate "Ugly American". When he is gone from our government there will be some fences to mend and also rebuild. We will get it done.
1
Donald Trump was elected POTUS in accordance with the US constitution (so far as anyone now knows). Although I detest him and his administration, it's clear to me at least that he is no "aberration." At the very least, the US needs a better government that its had in very many years, a democratic government that actually tries to serve the real interests of the people themselves, rather than those of the very rich. In fact, it seems we never have had such a country; perhaps, one has to hope, it still lies in our future.
Overblown? The man is meeting #littlerocketman today. Are you not concerned you might not see tomorrow, much less a "better" tomorrow?
On the subject of Canada's tariff's on dairy products, there are so many unstated facts. The U.S. dairy industry produces a surplus of milk and this surplus is sustained because of the billions in subsidies the government provides to the dairy farmers. Canada on the other hand limits the supply of milk produced to meet the country's needs while at the same time guaranteeing a fixed price to the farmers, paid for by higher prices to the consumer. The net result is that Canadians subsidize their dairy farmers at the grocery store while Americans subsidize theirs through their taxes, while also generating a large surplus of milk. Furthermore, Canada does not allow the administration of growth hormones known as BST or rBGH to dairy cows. Now President Trump wants Canada to allow his farmers to sell their subsidized hormone polluted surplus in Canada. If America first is acceptable for President Trump, then surely Canada first for its dairy industry is also reasonable?
68
Thanks for this! It filled in some huge gaps in my knowledge about these issues.
9
Thank you for this excellent analysis.
3
Sadly, the ultimate end result is that Trump is handing the rest of the world on a plate to China.
17
We all are doomed to watching a deeply mentally ill individual throw a baby tantrum at any turn.
He works poorly with others,
since he alone has all the answers.
He envies and emulates authoritarians,
and
as his tax returns will reveal,
he is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Russians,
so
he has recreated the Beautiful Homeland as a wholly owned vassal state of the Russians.
23
All other reasons for Trump’s antics aside, the G-7 is an international family. When you have valid family disputes, you talk among yourselves and try to work out your problems. You don’t tell the rest of the world, unless you want the attention. I wish Air Force One had an ejection seat. Trump once again proves he is a menace to peace and world order.
20
Do a search on Google or YouTube for: Tacoma Narrows Bridge 1940. Watch the old B&W documentary footage. It's the perfect metaphor for what the Idiot Wind is doing to our country.
4
Please, Robert Mueller. Please rescue us and quickly!
26
Not his job.
I was living in Washington, DC during the McCain run for president. I drove to Canada one weekend and was getting gas at a Montreal station when a man noticed my license plate and verbally accosted me.
"What were you thinking," he shouted. "Sarah Palin!" That was the beginning of our loss of trust on the world stage. Trump completes it.
35
I think McCain picked her to throw the election. He didn't want to deal with a banking crisis.
4
That is an amazing theory I never heard before. Not sure I buy it, McCain is okay but still a right winger. But a compelling narrative nevertheless.
Come on Bob M., get him....now!
8
If policy or political behavior is sincere, Orwellian narratives to justify it are unnecessary. Trump threw a fit based on no reasonable or rational evidence (I have watched Canada’s PM’s press statements several times now), as if pulling the US out of the G-7 agreement was his aim all along - as if looking for an excuse. When that excuse did not materialize, he made one up. Trump minions haunted the airwaves the next day telling of insults and backstabbings in the PM’s words that were not there.
Whatever the “why” is for Trump’s behavior, it is moot compared to the danger he poses to our economic and national security. Trump’s unprecedented behavior requires unprecedented congressional remedies. Americans are relying on Congress to do their job and not let this president destroy decades of peace and prosperity.
23
It was the 4 Mounties who received Trump as if he were disembarking from an extradition flight.
America would be much better off it the carbuncle currently occupying the White House and at this very moment luxuriating, half a world away, in world-wide attention would just stay there. Indefinitely. Better yet, permanently.
But of course he won't stay. The people are brown. Short. Don't speak English. Don't have to even pretend to pay attention to him, though for some unfathomable reason they seem to be doing just that. Or maybe they are just more courteous than the members of his cult.
Having take a giant step toward blowing up the world's economic infrastructure, who really believes that a nuclear free Korea is imminent, thanks to Trump?
7
Can the State Department revoke his passport?
3
Singaporeans are not short, any more than the Dutch are short. First Asian I raised my chin to greet was on arrival in Singapore. It's very much a first world nation, more so than the US I'd say, certainly better health and every other objective indicator you can imagine. Banana republic? Now we can talk about the US! I'm not even kidding, unfortunately.
3
I think we should negotiate with Putin so see if we could trade Trump for Boris Yeltsin. He would be an improvement on what we have now.
8
Considering Yeltsin died some years ago, you may be on to something!
12
Yeah, dig the old rascal up. We need him.
I wonder if the whole thing wasn't sort of playacting so Trump would look "tough" to North Korea. In particular the photo of Merkel, etc. lecturing him, while he sat with arms folded, looked a bit too perfect to me. I think the Canadians and others understood what was happening and didn't take it that seriously. At least, I hope so.
2
The Trump "brand" craves an enemy. Indeed, it requires one. In Quebec the enemy was the G -6. For the midterms it will be Mueller and immigrants. There is no logic...only hate.
24
My knowledge of trade and tariffs between countries is limited, however what I have read, watched, and seen, tells me that Donald Trump thinks his "art of the deal," is cool and he is sticking to it.
His demeaning and bombastic style is far from artful, nor does it go far with our European allies. Trump is embarrassing, he is unfit, unqualified, and I believe is a danger to our democracy.
12
Diane, please excuse my language -
Your impressions are right on but the Art of the deal turned out "The Fart of the Deal".
The carbuncle leaves behind him a wasteland wherever he goes and who's lives he touches; cabinet members or the common worker who helped build his glitz tower but got cheated out of payment.
America's saddest days since Roy Cohn, the man without a soul.
1
Excellent ! His (Trump) rants make perfect sense if seen through the lens of him being a Russian implant. They make no sense otherwise.
16
Maybe we should focus on the civil war within our own country, marked by tens of thousands of people killed every year, more than would be killed in a war. it is a new and different kind of civil war, and the sides have taken a long time to coalesce, but they are beginning to.
5
Our relationships will be damaged for decades?
Are you as sure about that as your prediction the markets would NEVER recover from the downward blip the day after Trump was elected by the American people?
4
At that time we all were unaware that the carbuncle would give Wall Street a 1+ Trillion Gift and put it on the Credit Card, to be paid by your children and grandchildren. Of course the Stock market went up, mostly by careful planning after the Republican induced crash of 2008 - from there it went UP for 8 years. The carbuncle inherited a train traveling at full speed, added an unnecessary Trillion of which went 90% to Corporation and the top 3%. How much did you get back from that Trillion?
1
Could there be more to this than a sex tape or whatever "kompromat" that Putin has on Trump - Trump is certainly acting like he's doing Putin's bidding, as if he's on Putin's payroll, however crazy and farfetched that sounds. Over the past couple of years, Trump has been forcing a rewrite of the definition of "crazy" on a daily - sometimes hourly - basis. But even so, he couldn't actually be a Russian agent, could he?
Could he? Nah.
9
No one can control this freak unless they use money and its predictable influence on his behavior.
This is more of a free-market subversion:
Trump has laundered Russian money for decades through the sale of real estate. Mueller may already have proof of that.
This wretched individual doesn't sleep well and what little sleep he gets is now burdened with the knowledge that Mueller has the goods on him.
3
Canadians need to review history. In particular, France and Poland's responses to 1930's Germany. Boycotting goods from the USA ain't gonna get it done. The gun totin' Trumpkins are not above invading anyone they see as a potential enemy. And, if I'm not mistaken, Canada has just joined Mexico on Trump's black list.
The old Axis Powers consisted of Germany, Italy, and Japan. Guess what...there's a new Axis in town. Trump is meeting Kim Jung Un not to negotiate an end to his nuclear weapons, but to offer him a position in Putin's Axis of Evil. With Russia leading the way, and Trump as Putin's water boy, the recruitment goes forth...N. Korea, the Phillipines, Turkey, China, and why not, Venezuela and Cuba. A new Axis of power is forming. If Canadian's want to join in...better position your PM as a dictator for life. Seriously.
4
And yet.....I"M the one considered the conspiracy nut.
Trumpkins are well know conspiracy nuts. In fact, all conservatives have a penchant for conspiracies. Liberals have fallen way behind here. I'm just trying to catch them up a little.
Trump received 13,300,472 votes in 2016. Clinton and Sander's combined total was 27,834,835. We need to storm the barricades, fellow citizens. If millions of us showed up in D.C. at the same time; a ten million citizen march, for example, what could they do? Would they kill us all? Or could we have a justified revolution? We did it once before and we can do it again. Enough with the talk, talk talk, time to act.
14
I have wondered if Trump and his extended family are plotting to increase the value of various real estate investments by causing inflation and other economic changes that would benefit them. I.e. reducing relative debt, etc.
4
You're giving Trump way too much credit. One would need at least a modicum of intelligence to figure that out and Trump has not one iota of intelligence.
1
It is not just Trump. It's American exceptionalism. For the last 40 years, Americans have been told that the US is the greatest country in world history, and that no other country can outdo it - in anything. That's why Trump and his base believe that the apparent success of foreign companies must be due to unfair trade practices or cheating. To them, there just is no other explanation.
This why the Transatlantic Alliance is currently on life support. American dominance is built on Europe's and Japan's dependence on US military protection and on free trade. If Trump removes these two pillars of American strength, the American century will come to an end after only 70 years.
12
Trump ran on the notion that foreigners, "friendly" ones, are parasites on the American economy and that they've bled our country dry. So of course he invents whatever facts are needed and walks out in a huff when those foreigners treat him badly. It should play very well for this fall's election.
8
I disagree about VATs. Since this sales tax is refunded on exports, it is a way to cheat the system.
2
It's not unfair tax. As it applies to local manufactures also. I import goods from the USA and my American suplier does not pay any state sales taxes which are similar to VAT. So does this mean that the US has unfair trade policies. I pay 7 % GST ( Which is similar to VAT) when these American goods land in Singapore. But when I re export these goods to other countries in the region, I get a refund. Its amazing that most of Trump's economists don't get this simple ECONOMICS 101.
5
Nonsense. It's not "refunded", because it isn't levied on exports. It's a sales tax for crying out loud!
A British or German customer has to pay the same VAT on a car made in the EU and a car made abroad.
And, of course, Americans don't have to pay British and German sales taxes on cars made in the UK or Germany
2
How? VAT is imposed at the moment of sale to a consumer (business or individual), whether the item is locally/EU-made or imported from elsewhere.
How could an yet-to-be-purchased export have a tax levied and refunded before it has been sold? It's like claiming a door charge required of everyone who goes into a night club -- whether they are locals or out-of-towners -- is refunded to people who steer clear of the place and take their business elsewhere.
1
This is the inevitable fate of pretty much every society that tries a democratic style of government with a full executive presidency (contrast to the parliamentary system). To date there have been two exceptions: (1) Costa Rica, which doesn't have a military, and (2) the United States, which got a bit of a leg up from slavery.
What we're seeing, right now, in Trump, is what spurs military coups in so many countries with a strong executive president. He is torching America's world order -- OUR world order, that WE built, and which favors AMERICA. Does he have any idea what's going to happen when we lose our "exorbitant privilege" -- that's what the French call it -- of holding the world's reserve currency?
But we can't get rid of him. There is no democratic recall mechanism. We can change the Congress, theoretically, but that will just give us gridlock -- the structure of the Senate does not allow a massive swing in the chamber. We have no options *at a Constitutional level* for stopping this man. We're not even two years in, and he has all but torched what we've been building and trying to maintain for the past 70-some years. What can he do in four?
The difference between us and all these other countries is just a matter of scale. This is what prompts military coups. Our Constitution is fundamentally flawed. We need more democracy, and fast: ranked-choice voting, abolish the electoral college, proportional representation, public-funded campaigns. We're in trouble, bigly.
49
And it is to my dismay, incidentally, that the Democratic Party is not championing these sorts of reforms. They will lead to better, fairer, more representative government -- closer to the ideal of a government of, by, and for the people. And for that matter, *much* closer to the political center of the electorate.
We need major changes in this country, or we're liable to not be a country at all in the not-so-distant future.
5
My country, right or wrong; but right or wrong my country. The problem is it is apparently clear that Trump's country is Russia, who after all made him president of the Unites States and this is the return on their investment.
41
Voting will not be enough---Boycotts and strikes are needed to bring down this awful regime-----Never thought I would call my Federal Government a REGIME----as in a cruel despotic reign ----but here it is------here and now!
33
I studied in your great country , when it was really great. Do not loose hope the USA is very resilient, we will wake up from this nighmare that we are all living through. Right now it irks me a Dictator wannabe is meeting the little dictator with nukes in my country. Trump is disliked over here.
8
Kudlow's curse on Trudeau , Trump's humiliation by the G-6 members, his 'star- in- the- eyes ' look, for trying to win the 2019 Nobel peace prize after he 'hugs' Kim Jong Un, his open admiration for Putin...will all sink this country into oblivion, if not a new civil war!
16
Aside from being Putin’s puppet; trying to show his ignorant base that he’s “winning”; and other reasons already mentioned, I think part of Trump’s motivation for lashing out at Canada is that he feels threatened by the younger, stronger, and more handsome Justin Trudeau. In Trump’s mind, Trudeau even has the potential of stealing his precious Ivanka—after all, the two did go to see the musical “Come From Away” together last year. It would be a silly theory if Trump hadn’t already shown countless times that he’s motivated by exactly this sort of petty, immature “reasoning”.
13
A silly column made sillier by the Krugman sniffing that Russia doesn't belong in the G8 because their economy is too small. Really?
Really?
Trump is a nightmare, not least of all because, incompetent super jerk that he is, he also awakens the stupid assumptions that lie at the heart of the liberal status quo and then dashes them from the even stupider Right. We're in a world of trouble.
7
Yes really. What benefit would we have to have such a backward kleptocracy whose whole economy is based on a product, petroleum, which will be the thing of the past 50 years from now when we have moved on to cleaner energy sources and when much of the available oil has been drilled?
4
Wah: Yes, really!
I notice you have no actual response to Krugman's truth. Russia has never belonged in the G anything because their economy is not G, but s.
Yet Putin has masterfully co-opted our Oval Office and installed his puppet, so you do end up with the right conclusion: We're in a worls of trouble. It's the Putin ownership over trump that creates the trouble.
6
Well, to all fairness, if you looking for biggest economy, then G7 should look like USA, China, Japan, Germany, UK, India, France. Clearly, size of economy is not the ONLY consideration.
1
1. By calling out DJT, our allies—and, in the end, they will remain such—are behaving as Congress should have been for months now. They are 100% correct to call out Trump's inconsistency, ignorance, immaturity, and complete repudiation of Western—which are by definition American—values. Congress—take a cue from these guys! It's time to pick up and not cooperate with the executive branch. Trump must be marginalized for the sake of the country.
2. One silver lining to the Trump era, should we survive it, is that perhaps future leaders can be disabused of the notion that change has to be incremental. Granted, breaking things is a hell of a lot easier than making things, but politicians with sense, good ideas, and a base of support can and should be encouraged by Trump to take real chances. Ones that, you know, actually could Make America Great Again.
3. The Dems should just use DJT's exact campaign slogan against him in 2020.
4. How in the heck is this injured, petulant man going to get anything out of the North Koreans?
19
If there is one country the USA should not pick a fight with, it is Canada. Not only are their decisions on immigration, border control and controlled substances (e. g. marijuana) very likely to affect us, they are about to spend over $10 billion to replace their aging Boeing fighter jets. Since Canada is not much of an imperial power and not at serious risk of invasion, they are not compelled to buy the best of the best no matter the cost.
For a president who claims to care about the defense industry and American manufacturing, this is amazingly careless. The easiest way for Canada to retaliate in a way that the USA cannot respond to in kind would be to simply spend that $10 billion on some European jets. While I am sure the French and Swedes would love to have that business, so would a lot of Americans.
30
The man has spent a career stiffing and alienating the people who have financed and worked on his projects, and then going off to find others who will support him. Now in his latest role, he disrespects our closest allies and goes in search of new"friends" among the most unsavory regimes in the world. Should we we really be surprised by this pattern of behavior?
24
No, not surprised...
In fact it increases my fear of what his majesty will do in Singapore........
2
Again, why are you able to articulate the issue in such a clear succinct manner and the rest of the media world is either reluctant to do so or is ignorant. Thank you for quickly boiling down the obvious and clearly stating it.
21
It maybe all fun and games for Trump supporters now as the President trashes the EU, but someday we may need these people to side with us and this President has squandered any goodwill we might have had.
13
Enquiring mind would like to know how much of Trump's money is really Russian money or Putin money?
25
WHERE are Trump's tax returns?
12
Trump is clearly working for Putin. It's time to exposes the financial ties that are certainly at the root of this behavior. Yet the Republicans are happy to jam their agenda down our throats and pack the courts while the madman is in office. So they look the other way, or try to cover-up the crimes.
Clearly voting for a Republican at this point is treason.
48
The fact that Trump got more than 10% of the vote still amazes me.
49
Likewise. I certainly had more faith in the American electorate than they deserved.
14
What comes next? What do you think about a northern wall? How about Trump pulls a Putin and annexes Canada? Maybe giant milk cannons spewing forth our white gold upon those dishonest Canadians? Perhaps we could drop free cheese from drones? The Commander of Cheese would like that. Another possibility, digging tunnels to Canadian dairy farms and releasing sterile bulls? I know these ideas sound ludicrous but that's where we are. From Betty Davis : Better buckle up it's going to be a bumpy ride. I think bumpy might be a bit of a understatement.
6
We don't need to take ALL of Canada - just Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.
We'll be lucky if Canada doesn't put up a wall to keep us out. They're liable to see an increasing number of folks asking for asylum – from this asylum!
My mother, a WWII veteran Code Girl, has been incensed with Trump since he was elected. She took a turn for the worse this winter. I told her I needed her to hang on long enough to cast one more vote to replace the Republican who represents us in Congress with someone more responsive. Immediately, her health improved. If she can resist, so can all of us.
34
Krugman, please stop using facts, logic, and reason to discuss public issues. Remember - you are talking about trump and his actions.
9
Every day in every way, this cruel, ignorant toddler-in-chief diminishes the U.S. in the eyes of the world while hurting people and the environment.
26
PK shows that he just should stick to teaching Econ 101, if that. Trump is acting on the big picture, not just tariffs. First, he has to get everyone’s attention. Now he has - and soon things will begin to change.
1
One wonders when Trumpists will find anything more than an insult and a cliche to offer.
A hint: try to be specific. Explain, for example, exactly what's wrong with Paul Krugman's claim that generally, our tariffs aren't that big a deal, and that we'd do better to resolve the problems that do show up amicably.
18
Things are gonna change alright, that’s what scares me.
1
@Wildebeest
Has Trump got attention from the others or has he got their disdain or mistrust? Trump is not 2yr old anymore, tantrums are not the best way to get attention !
2
Paul, thanks for the sober analysis of the train wreck that has just occurred. We must all band together to express our outrage and unwillingness to accept the dead end that Trump and Navarro have taken.
17
"You really have to wonder what comes next. One thing’s for sure: it won’t be good."
Probably what comes next is some kind of agreement in principle with Kim. Then maybe first steps to end the Korean War. Not definitive or conclusive, but not bad either.
2
If the first 500 days is our guide, very little good will come of the Singapore meet. At every fork in the road, Trump manages to sabotage not only himself but our country.
10
Please name a deal Trump's ever made in which he didn't try to renege, or stiff his suppliers and clients, or try to bully and sue to to get out of what he'd agreed to.
16
Russia did not invade Ukraine. But his point about the size of the Russian economy is a relevant one. With Brexit one can envisage the UK economy shrinking to that level. Would Krugman call for the UKs expulsion? Trump, as is well known, stages these blow ups on purpose. I suppose he is taking the mad man theory of Nixon to coerce people out of their way of thinking by shocking and frightening them with the loss of their normalcy. Certainly normalcy has been altered with Iraq war, the ouster of Qadafi and the endless bloodletting in Syria. As well as the entirely avoidable 2008 recession. The end of the cold war was celebrated prematurely according to neo cons because Russia still was potentially very strong and not under the USs control. But now with Trump the world is faced with a mercurial self promoting bully.
10
Russia did not invade Ukraine? where do you get this info?
11
Are you saying that the citizens of the Ukraine Republic gladly handed over their Crimea to Russia as a, what, sign of good faith?
I think there must be a position in the Trump administration for you.
6
Um isn't Crimea part of the Ukraine?
5
Trump accuses Trudeau of being weak and a liar. Projection? Didn't Trump admit making stuff up (= lying) when Trudeau visited WDC?
28
Trump is an ignorant, arrogant, illiterate little man. He is a disgrace to America. Unfortunately he got elected president by a flawed (electoral college) election system and now we are paying the price. What is worse is that the Republican controlled US congress is abdicating its responsibilities of being a co-equal branch of government and providing the necessary checks-and-balances in ensuring that the US is a democracy and not a kingdom or an empire or a dictatorship ruled by king/emperor/dictator Donald.
27
The electorate system is not flawed: a decision has been made (a long time ago) that states should have leveled powers even if their population are not the same...
3
Yes, but... wrong as to "what is worst."
Worst is that some 42 percent of American's and a large majority of Republicans are on board with Trump--despite his conspicuously outrageous behavior. Abraham Lincoln opposed the Mexican War and was not re-elected to the House. Today's Republicans will never stand up. That's the worst.
8
I beg to differ with you. In a democracy, majority rules.
I will say it again: at the heart of a narcissist is a very fragile little ego that must be fed regulary with 'narcissistic supplies' - accolades and loyalty oaths. When that doesn't happen, the rage (really panic of being found out to be worthless) intensifies and it's anybody's guess where it will be directed. As a situation evolves, the fewer accolades the narcissist gets, the more enraged (and frightened) he gets. The bull in the china shop is no match for the wounded narcissist. And today, the world is at grave danger with this particular bull running amok.
45
Impeach! Convict! Exile to Moscow!
33
As a native born and educated American, and still a dual citizen of our two great countries, I cannot help but wonder if the members of the United States Congress even realize that they are being carefully monitored by History; and they will - each and every elected member who now sit in either chamber - be held to a full accounting of every one of their actions and failures to act under the terms they swore to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. It is really that simple. Backing up the President as he travels the world insulting and destroying precious relationships with our dependable allies while sucking up to the world's other tyrants and bullies - or party loyalty is simply off the table at this point in the history of our grand democratic experiment. Wake up!
55
Before giving a "heads Up" to the Congressional Republicans on their total failure to uphold their Oath of Office, you must blame the 62 million who were ignorant enouh to even imagine that Trump has the ability and knowledge to run this country. That, in and of itself, is the greatest threat to World Peace! Ignorant people elect ignorant Leaders.
22
It's worth noting that not only is Russia's economy smaller than Spain or Brazil, it's smaller than California's. With California having the world's 5th largest economy, maybe the G-group should include our Governor instead of the President.
41
We all love California, but this idea that it is some separate and superior society that supports the rest of us is nonsense. That Google is so ignorant of history that it will not work on AI projects for defense is the latest policy consequence of this fantasy.
Any American can move there, and plenty have to add talent to the entertainment, defense and tech industries. Similarly, any Californian or California product can move anywhere else in the USA, and much of the wealth in California comes from spending on these products by Americans in other states - including the families who raised productive Californians and those who spend tourism dollars visiting California.
We are all better off with a highly productive California, but we are not dependent on it or seeking its leadership.
2
I appreciate your sentiments, but Mr. Trump's approach is destructive to us all, so it’s better to be represented by the Governor of a state with a proven economy. A coalition of city mayors, other state governors, and corporate leaders under California’s leadership, not unlike the climate change coalition formed to represent us after Mr. Trump’s disastrous withdrawal from the Paris accords, could help regain the respect of our allies and re-position our global leadership position.
1
The sad thing is that when the Presidency's version of Biff Tannen runs into that manure truck, the rest of the country will be along for the ride.
12
I just don't understand why Trump's popularity is steadily rising. The only possible explanations are (1) racism, (2) bloody-mindedness, and (3) trashing the country and the world is a good way to "own the libs."
19
Well of course racism is the answer! That’s the proper response to any problem.
4
Wouldn’t it be lovely if we could banish him to North Korea?
17
Trump is in every way like a particularly ill-natured and stupid two-year-old. When you see a two-year-old misbehaving you call his parents.
Trump's 'parents' are the Congress. We should be hounding THEM to remove this clear and present danger.
27
The Republican Congress is the doting parent who thinks their spoiled brat child can do no wrong. The child is a spoiled brat because the doting parent failed in basic parenting skills from the very beginning. The true shame in this situation is not that Trump is so terrible, but that the entire Republican Congress is his protector/enabler.
4
I agree, apparently Trump parents never told him no and always let him his way hence this is what we got a spoiled bratty rich person running the country.
2
RMF and Martin Lennon - I agree completely.
Trump is mentally ill and near the verge of a total collapse into insanity. Ask any professional. His imminent collapse will have dire consequences for his supporters too, not just his "enemies."
Stop applauding the "tax cut" and think about your friends, family and future generations.
19
It's quite simple. The political leaders of the other nations don't want to argue with a political amateur. But they forget their place. This amateur is the leader of the most powerful nation on earth. They should show some respect, at least for the nation. But they prefer their own ego's, before the well being of the world.
Sorry. These other leaders are demanding their due. We will find ourselves isolated which is exactly what Vladamir was hoping for.
6
Gunter wasn't criticizing America, he was criticizing the other G7 leaders for not showing America enough respect! Yes, he was criticizing Trump, (Who also does not show America enough respect), and who is NOT America.
Not that any Trump supporters would be caught dead reading the NYT however I'd like to address this issue with a simple statement to them: If you spit in your friend's face it's a profound insult period. Trump would break down and cry like the baby his is if someone ever got the chance to spit in his face. But he's now alienating our best allies and they are on our border which no matter what is plain stupid unless of course you are a traitor. Like Forrest Gump once said "traitor is as traitor does".
5
God bless Donald Trump. He reminds Australians every day how lucky we are do have a bunch of C-grade Muppets in charge o our country.....
9
Please send your column on to Mr Trudeau.
With our apologies.
23
From an economical point of view, Putin has made a very good investment by meddling the US elections. Whether the current incumbent of the office of US president is Putin’s puppet or not is not relevant. He exactly does what Putin in his dreams wouldn’t have dreamed of: Instead of doing politics he creates chaos all over the world. It’s up to us in Europe to emancipate from the US and cooperate with other “normal” countries around the globe in order to establish a kind of “quarantine zone” around this erratic idiot. It is embarrassing to see that the current President of the United States is such a narcissist with bad manners and instead a huge racist and sexist behavior.
14
Trump commits treason daily. He is owned and operated by Vladimir Putin. The Republican Party leadership is shameless in its toadying for the vulgar Russian stooge who holds the presidency. Vote in November.
14
Canada declared war on Nazi Germany on Sept. 10, 1939. From the fall of France on June 22, 1940 til the German invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, Canada was the second largest allied country fighting the Nazis.
The U.S. waited for Hitler to declare war on America on Dec. 10, 1941.
In 1958, Canada expanded its NATO alliance with the U.S. to form Norad, the North American Air Defence Command with a Canadian general second-in-command. And to this day it is a Canadian officer tasked half the time to assess reports of Soviet missile/bomber launches against North America.
And through these decades Canada and the U.S. formed the most unified economies through measures such as Autopact. Most of the largest "Canadian" companies were of the GM (Canada) Ltd., i.e. Canadian subsidiaries of American parent corporations.
Canada is absurdly blessed with natural resources and Nafta provides the U.S. with right of equal access to those resources.
Trump goes on and on about agriculture, particularly dairy products, not realizing
Canada has an entirely different agricultural model called supply management.
Trump is the greatest ignorant idiot in American history.
And, oh yeah. The Royal Navy razed Washington in the War of 1812 in retaliation for the American incineration of York (Toronto).
God save the Queen.
48
God bless you our northern neighbors and friends. Please pray for us while we extricate ourselves from this mess of an administration. It may take some time......
6
Paul,
I KNOW exactly what comes next: While Donny and his evil twin brother Kim Jung Un meet for this “historic meeting” on an island that used to be called “The Island Behind Death”, these two will concoct a nefarious plan to have Kim Jung Un “accidentally” launch one of his ICBMs toward America which will of course grab the world’s attention and distract it from all of Donny’s recently caused crises; then Donny would swoop in, positioning himself as the “Savior” who ALONE can fix the catastrophic situation America finds itself in!
We should NEVER UNDERESTIMATE TRUE EVIL!
7
Dear G7 countries, especially my beloved Canada: Please remember that Trump was not voted in by a majority of Americans. He came in due to a fluke in our electoral system that cries to be removed. Most of us are shocked, dismayed, humiliated and embarrassed that this mobster, bully, ignoramus, liar, sociopath and blowhard ever came close to the Oval Office.
But please look at things over a long time perspective. One way or another, he will be gone in a few years. Things do improve. Although Germany once had a Fuhrer, it now has the compassionate and intelligent Ms. Merkel. We can only hope that, to go from a "Don" to another JFK, we do not have to reach what alcoholics call "hitting bottom".
18
The United States and the world can start to heal when Trump is hanged for his treason and the members of his cabinet and his crime family are all jailed for their plundering of the American treasury.
37
The US will never be trusted again. We have shown that our democracy is a fraud and that a large number of our electorate, the Confederate electorial college and our surplus of American and GOP-invited Russian oligarchs can seat another buffoon at any time. RIP USA.
25
I don't refer to Trump as President Holster Mouth for no reason.
6
I have never been so proud to be a Canadian as when I saw Larry Kudlow and Peter Navarro take personal shots at our prime minister. To see and hear such rightious indignation and ignorance coming from those two warmed my soul. I thought Larry was stroking out on CNN. Cowards and puppets
32
Time to send Trudeau some support:
https://www.facebook.com/JustinPJTrudeau/
1
thank you!
Not that long ago, we were at peace and in total, respectful, harmony with our Allies.
Trump is a Traitor, a psychopathic puppet planted by Putin to destroy Amerca's global alliances.
38
It occurs to me that this might be a follow the money scenario. It appears that Trump is setting the stage for war. His outrageous and outlandish behavior cannot be seen as anything else. Who benefits from that? MIC, of course. Possibly Russia.
An even more horrifying possibility: Is Trump so perverse that he wants an excuse to "push the Button"?
There comes a point when you have to see that Psycho Chauncey Gardener is in fact a deranged idiot. He must be removed from office before we are drawn into war of any kind, Trade or beyond.
19
I wonder how the US farmers - dairy and others - will react to Trump's proposal to do away with not just tariffs but subsidies as well.
4
What comes next?
You can be sure everyone will be glued to their tv/newspapers
waiting to find out. We have been sitting and waiting to see what comes next after so many Trump actions. There have been as many 'nexts' as there have been actions and all we seem to be doing is waiting for the next one.
1
NOT the beginning of the end of the western alliance,
Mr Krugman, it's the end of the peoples of G6 wondering
- Is it me or is it you?
Canadians are united behind IT'S DEFINITELY YOU!
When Trump tweets that Trudeau is "Very dishonest and weak", he's insulting the entire nation.
No one except His Highness, Kudlow, Navarro, and MAGA hats saw a personal attack from Trudeau telling the press that "Canadians .. will not be pushed around."
The world saw yet another personal attack in an ill-conceived Tweet - after His Highness flew off to see "Little Rocket Man" - and left Trudeau with the press.
Kudlow can throw a HISSY FIT on every news show; and the nation can see that Trudeau just OUT TRUMPED Trump!
So, every time that a world leader steps on His Highness' spotlight, are Americans going to be subjected to a Fox News' "Don't go against US" commentary on all networks?
Isn't the constant blather of Guiliani - enough Fox fare?
7
“ . . . it was a declaration of ignorance . . “ is one of your best lines ever, Paul. While it surely applies to Trump’s embarrassing performance in Quebec, it is also an apt description of the most recent American presidential election, not to mention the GOP’s continuing support for Trump’s clown-car presidency.
9
The VAT thing is quite absurd, since one of the problems with VAT is that it is blind to the source of value addition.
Yes, the "problem" is that imported and created value are taxed the same. Germany made sure of that.
VAT is also blind to the mechanisms of value creation, so it penalizes business with low margins imposing many times a tax that is several times bigger than the margin created, while in other businesses its much smaller than the overall margin.
One of Trump's G7-related tweets today includes a chilling phrase that reveals one of his grand desires:
"Fair Trade is now to be called Fool Trade if it is not Reciprocal..."
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2018
His phrase "is now to be called" is a command, as if Trump is an authority with power to dictate what words citizens and the media may use.
The Declaration of Independence lays out that we will not be ruled by a dictator, with a sentence that literally shouts to us today:
"A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people."
And a tyrant who is also a dangerous self-absorbed lying bully with no conscience is truly unfit to be America's leader.
11
So he agreed to the final communique but changed his mind, not because of second thoughts about the content, but because he perceived a slight. Well that's a good reason.
What an embarrassment for the US. Perhaps the best thing is if the civilized world decides to have no more meetings with Trump and just sit him out.
8
Thanks for saying what we all are thinking. Total embarrassment this guy is handing us, even my dad, a WW ll vet, would be aghast may he RIP.
1
all of this points to one thing: most important midterm elections ever coming up.
13
It still amazes me that people are surprised at this man's reprehensible behavior. A few years ago I stumbled onto The Apprentice while flipping around the dial. I could only stand to watch for 5 minutes. A chill ran of revulsion rsn down my spine at the sight and sound of Donald Trump. I knew very little about him then, but it was plain as day that there was something terribly askew with his man. I have been soul-sick that enough people unable to see through this sociopathic con man voted to put him into power. The more he destroys the more it is hard to avoid thinking we are dead as a democracy.
10
Yes, his unfitness for anything has always be en obvious, yet his supporters can't see it, or don't care.
5
Putting aside Trump's motivations for the moment (as Krugman puts it "There is no possible justification for bringing it (Russia into G7) back, other than whatever hold Putin has on Trump personally"), how does pushing Russia's cause to the detriment of the existing alliance appeal to Trump's base? Or are they pleased by his grandstanding, no matter the target?
17
As a 6th generation Californian, perhaps our state can join the G6 to plus the 1. We're now the 5th largest economy in the world--how would the US rank without the Golden State?
17
Once again, trump is throwing red meat to his base. By specifically picking on a minor sector of trade between the two nations, i.e. the dairy tariffs and second by claiming to be protecting the American worker from foreign entities. The diary argument makes for great sound bites and is of course distorted at best by trump. As for protecting the American worker it seems this is more of the us vs them that seems to be his primary method of securing his base.
The dairy argument is laughable as one is expected to believe that a nation of 330 million people can not support its own dairy industry and needs the market of its neighbor of 33 million for industry survival! The Canadian dairy industry is protected and is functioning much better than its neighbor to the south who has a market only driven industry that currently has prices of dairy lower than production costs. Plus the dairy trade is 600 million between the two, minor at best. Also every country engaged in free trade agreements places specific sectors of their economy off limits or has protections. The US does it with lumber duties on Canadian lumber and has done it for example with tariffs on light duty trucks.
But once again trump distorts and out right lies about another topic, which then renders dialog close to impossible. The trump megaphone is an alarming problem as the voices to counter balance are fragmented and a large segment of the US population seem only capable of hearing his message.
24
Yes to your reply. Additionally, Justin Trudeau for the majority of Canadians is intelligent, worldly, well-respected here and on the world stage, polished, charismatic, empathetic, relatable to young and older generations, honest and upright, bilingual, bright, well- spoken and witty. Not one of these words can describe Trump, so we just dismiss his insults as those of a desperate old man seeking to make himself taller (as you noted, he is shorter than Justin!)
45
What is Trump talking about? That is a very good question, because he is so dishonest and uninformed that it is often quite difficult to determine. What is more interesting to me is why is a country of 325 million people being led to hell by a childish, ignorant buffoon? No one person should have this much power in a functioning democracy, especially someone as childish, erratic and vile as Trump.
48
Ask the GOP. trump "has" the power he does because they have ceded their power to him.
Why? Looks like they are beholden to special interest groups holding the re-election strings, or else terrified of a base of trump supporters who have no more use for informing themselves than he does.
35
One of Trumps evil cronies opined that there’s a special place in hell for the Canadian Prime Minister. I doubt that’s where he’s going, but either way he’ll be a a few floors above Kudlow and most members of this administration.
49
Thank You, Mr. Krugman. And such a damning commentary. What a shame that we have come to this 'Make Russia Great Again' moment, underwritten by our own Republican 'leadership'.
When are we finally going to see some action from them? Or is it now only up to the uninformed voter to stop their Anti-American (in)actions?
17
Canada has fought along the US in every war, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, and paid in lives. Many of us have relatives on both sides of the boarder.
I will boycott all American Products and Services that I possibly can, until the country wakes up. It’s like tough love parenting. Hurts me and you in the short run, but needs to be done. There’s no downside, the county is going to hell if something isn’t done.
35
I would do the same, but it's a bit tougher for me living in Connecticut
14
Please pay attention liberals; this is what happens when you choose the greater of two evils...
9
I could go quietly but ever-so-politely insane trying to figure out just who you're addressing this to or what you're attempting to say... but you certainly got me paying attention.
If only to know when to call the paramedics.
1
The Framers apparently didn't anticipate that there'd ever be a Congress with a majority of cowardly traitors.
35
Paul, I throughly enjoyed your closing paragraph acknowledging you do not know what really happened during the G7 meeting. One can only presume, given your lack of knowledge of the facts (which you clearly admit), that you're relying on other articles and headlines for this opinion piece. Next time before "just mailing it in", you might consider doing some real work on the narstive.
1
Trump, from now on keep out.
8
Hey Paul how is the cholera epidemic doing in Puerto Rico?
3
Well, I suppose you can kiss that Nobel goodbye.
11
Trump's just ignorance of what the rest of the world thinks is such a big threat to our country when everyone else thinks it is an asset. I read about Smoot Hawley in the 20s and it seems Trump is doing a new version. Why would we purposely tick off our biggest trading partner and best friend? Is he proposing to build a wall on that wall? How nuts!
6
"....Whatever really happened, this was an utter, humiliating debacle.....You really have to wonder what comes next. One thing’s for sure: it won’t be good."
..just like your articles Mr Krugman......
...no one, especially the author of this article has any idea what effect the tariffs will have on our economy.....
3
Are you concerned about what effect the tariffs that Trump is imposing on goods from other nations into the US will have on our life style here? That may be a legitimate concern. It seems that our new tariffs on aluminum and steel from other countries will raise prices on goods made/sold in the US-but may be are meant to help our steel and coal industries.
4
You certainly have no clue. I'm betting on the man with the Nobel Prize in economics, not you or the ignorant raging buffoon cheering his uneducated base to chant "Nobel Prize" in spite of his meager intellect, hateful rhetoric and despicable actions.
13
A degenerate became president before a woman. Sad.
31
It is indeed worrisome what comes next. If Trump does not have a win in Korea, what follows? Does he make a pre-emptive strike? Does North Korea forge economic alliances with its East Asian neighbors and table the security question? How do we throw a wrench in this nonsense? Personally, I think the sane world should stop cooperating with Trump, stop receiving him diplomatically, stop playing nice. Just ignore him. Leave him out of future G7 meetings and other important conclaves. But does this create a new bigger problem in an out-of-control sociopath? (or some other kind of _path, a narcissopath). The megalomanic parallels with Hitler are very disturbing. The next round of elections seem very far away, and the GOP is whimp whimp whimpy. Our enemies must be delighted.
11
Of all the bizarre aspects of this debacle, it is just loopy for the administration to think that Trump whining about Trudeau's comments will somehow show he is a tough guy to N Korea's Kim. I am happy that at the G7 the Canadian PM gets to play hockey with the big kids, but no one really thinks that Canada is really in the big leagues. When Trudeau gives Trump a little shoulder check, and Trump lies sniveling and wailing on the ice, he looks like a sissy, not an enforcer.
15
Many Canadians are outraged, political affiliation notwithstanding, at Trump's insulting, outrageous comments about our Prime Minister. To call Trump a childish idiot is an insult to children. Canadians and Americans fought alongside one another in WW2 (Canadians in WW2 for 2 yrs longer than Americans), Canadians and Americans fought together in Korea. Some Canadians joined the US military to fight in Vietnam. Then there was Canadian government's intervention in Iran hostage crisis that successfully got 6 American diplomats out of Iran on Canadian passports. Then there was Canada's welcome and support to thousands of Americans on 9-11 when their aircraft were diverted to Canadian airports on an emergency basis. Our two countries share the longest undefended border on earth. As President Kennedy said "Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners, and necessity has made us allies. Those whom God has so joined together, let no man put asunder". That is exactly what the idiot Trump is trying to do. Trump says Canada is a national security risk to the US!?! He is the greatest national security risk to his own country that the US faces today. Canadians have many fond friendships and kinships with Americans - this isn't about those relationships. But just how much is Trump going to be allowed to tear down in his moronic, fact-free and serial lying way before enough is enough? Americans deserve better, Canadians do too!
33
Don't waste too much time trying to understand Trump. His view of the world is "a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
22
It’s easy to explain Trump:
His aim in any negotiation is to make it a gain for himself. So he hears and recalculates with every statement from his opponent how to respond. If it appears what his opponent says with give him an advantage monetarily, publicity-wise, sexually, or with more dominance, he moves forward into the intervening space. If not, he digs in or quits the field.
It doesn’t matter what Trump actually says, because he will say whatever truth or lie will benefit him.
1
Paul Krugman for President!
12
OK, OK. He's a bully and a fool who throws tweeter tantrums at the drop of a hat. But more than 40% of Americans 'approve' of him because he appoints anti-choice judges, he seems to despise brown people, and and he signed the tax cuts the Rs put on his desk.
Are Americans good-hearted, generous, thoughtful people? Looks like the answer might be, 'No.'
28
We have this Trump madness because the Democrats are so incompetent and corrupt. Their unwillingness to abandoned divisive racist identity politics and its support for Wall Street by heels like Schumer and Pelosi have left broad swaths of the country with no choice but to vote for a crazy reality show president
4
Yes. Blame the democrats. No racist identity politics from the Right? Wall Street doesn’t have a hold on the Republican Party? Republicans own both houses of Congress and the White House. They love Citizens United which makes big money donors even stronger and appeals to those who aren’t doing so well with racist dog whistles. And it is the Democrats’ fault?
5
Congress should be responding to the fool in chief. This shill Republican Congress has turned its back on America. Their support of Trump's destruction of our country is unforgivable.
It is perfectly reasonable to ask how much more damage will this thoughtless and clearly ignorant man do without congressional restraint forced upon him.
14
"Whatever really happened, this was an utter, humiliating debacle. And we all know how Trump responds to humiliation. You really have to wonder what comes next. One thing’s for sure: it won’t be good."
Nice little article you got there, Paul. But...but...what about the Trumpkins? The base...and yes, they are so very, very base. They feel humiliated constantly. So, they love Trump acting like a bully. They love the lies. They love Trump's hatefulness, because they have the same attitude. We are heading for a showdown. The fascists vs the democrats. It isn't pretty now, but it's going to get worst.
22
In my country, we have renamed VAT to mean "Very Annoying Tax".
In the G7 context, perhaps it stands for "Very Aggressive Trump".
VATever happens from here, it will certainly be interesting to watch.
4
Methinks you’re working way too hard on this! The emperor IS naked! There is no grand “design” here. Same old Trump as ever, just a bigger stage. We’ve met the enemy and the enemies are narcissism and incompetence. Yes, Trump will destroy the Atlantic/Western alliance. He will do so the same way he bankrupted his casinos. Not much grand design there. He insults others, throws tantrums, walks out on the deal, then shortchanges you! Hardly rocket science. The real culprit here is the puppet American government. If the donors say: “don’t restrain him” he ain’t getting restrained. Besides, he does have a point, American largesse has bankrolled and buttressed the financial and military infrastructure of the Western world since WW II. But, being the king hegemon, that just comes with the territory. The Trumpian doctrine posits that everyone is your sucker and the obligations of your words and contracts are meaningless. So what’s all the fuss here? We knew this beforehand. This is the guy the electoral college chose! (You know that same electoral college that gave the slaveowners their leverage.). Other than flushing the low countries into the arms of Russia and China, it makes for great theater. And if the American people don’t like that, aren’t they supposed to be able to petition their elected representatives to legislatively sanction the President? So.....it’s EVERYBODY’S fault! And, what the heck! If he is buddy buddy with Putin then there probably won’t be WW III.
2
Those of is who like President Trump do not see a debacle but success. President Trump is looking out for American interests (for once) and will not be a pushover like past presidents have been. What is wrong with that?
There are many of us who approve of the way Mr. Trump has conducted himself in Quebec and can find no fault. It is the Trump haters who are constantly nitpicking at every little thing he does and will never be satisfied. If he was not being so successful since becoming president, they would have legitimate complaints. Right now they are full of hot air.
1
Since you support President Trump's action, I am very interested in why you think destroying our long-held alliances with Canada and Europe is in America's interests. Please explain. Should you wish to bring up what you think these other nations are doing to harm the United States, please be explicit. What exactly have they done? Thank you.
This is a serious inquiry and I hope you will take the time to answer.
34
And, don't forget that everything he said about tariff's against the US was wrong - possibly lies, but in any event, wrong.
I fell in love with a woman and was willing to look the other way to all the red flags that were out there. Like Trump, you are either on her side or evil. When you are hearing the things you want to hear you can look past a lot. You want to support your wife and make your marriage work so tend to see what you need to.
She has left a trail of destruction behind her. Any slight could be seen as stabbing her in the back and suddenly you were against her and couldn’t ever be trusted again. When she turned on me, the things I was accused of were so far removed from reality.
She once told me that I didn’t know how to tell a story - that you sometimes need to exaggerate things so make your point. Much like Trump’s stories, many of hers were anchored in some fact, but were so exaggerated and misrepresented that you barely knew what to say. Anything you said was a lie if it contradicted her story.
Trump is leaving a similar trail of destruction. Ask Rex Tillerson or Jeff Sessions or any of the many others he has thrown under the bus.
Some of the things you hear in what often passes these days for news is nitpicking. So much is not. The big winners in all this will be Russia, North Korea, and China.
Democracy, anti-corruption laws and a robust press seem only to be impediments to Trump.
His base gives him the adulation that he craves and keeps the rest of his party in check so he may never turn on them. They may never see the destruction he is doing.
6
I think Trump is scared of his Kim meeting and needed to let off steam beforehand hence his execrable treatment of Trudeau. I can't see how Trudeau harmed the US position in the upcoming talks; he was just giving a press conference as part of the summit. Frankly, with Trump wanting to exclude all but interpreters from the talks with Kim, we'll never really know what happens in the room because Trump will lie about it.
13
He had to look strong before his meeting with Kim, so he threw a tantrum. Real strong, heh?
21
especially the spaghetti-on-the-head move....
3
A draft dodger and a hater of everyone who is not him, his little mind can't see the world outside of his childhood zip code of Queens. I don't know anyone who has not fought in any war the United States has been involved in without our allies standing with us. Only a draft dodger would insult the people who are in the fox hold with you. Since the recent inhabitant in Washington DC and his swamp friends don't think they have to spend there energy covering up corruption. Why would he think about thinking? just about being a bully and getting over.
The photos tell the story, no matter how much the
White House wants to spin it.
12
“Decades to come” is hyperbole.
1
Mr. Trump made Russia great in Canada.
Vladimir Putin instructed President Trump to shatter the G-7, and harm the Canadian nation, who has a share of the oil and mineral rights under the ice of the North Pole with Russia.
Russia takes more of these riches, and it buys more weapons of war.
9
The word "insane" keeps popping up in these comments. When you declare someone insane, you are letting him off the hook. A person can be declared "insane" when they are not capable of knowing right from wrong and/or are not able to comprehend that their actions have consequences to themselves and others.
Trump's claims that he is somehow above the law, along with his repetition of the phrase "No collusion!" indicate his knowledge that he did commit crimes. If one examines his other statements carefully, one might find plenty of evidence that he does understand the consequences of his words and actions, but has no regard for them or concern for their impact on others.
I know that given past precedent (Nixon), it's very unlikely that Trump will ever be held accountable for his crimes, but I and I'm sure many others still like to indulge ourselves in that fantasy. If we declare Trump to be "insane", we are making it even less likely that he will face a day of reckoning for his crimes and recklessness. Given the contrast between some of Trump's self-pronouncements ("I never settle." "I am the least racist person you ever met." "... a very stable genius at that!") and his actual behavior , I can imagine him grasping at an insanity defense to avoid accountability when all his other options including flight to a sympathetic foreign country are exhausted.
Let's not give him any ideas.
5
I took a cab from downtown Athens to the airport about a week ago. The cabbie told me that not a single one of his American passengers in the past year had voted for Trump. He asked how it was possible that Trump could have gotten elected.
I speculated that the only people who voted for Trump were those who had never left America, and, consequently, people he would never encounter.
28
Russia is the one that voted for him,via the email
hacked electoral system.
Those 77,000 votes.
He will be exposed , and the country will once and for all hear the proof of his collaboration with the enemy .
3
Or they don’t admit it.
1
Why the sudden interest in dairy farmers?
Trump needs to keep Devin Nunes on his side.
2
From another article here:
"Mr. Trump’s conversation was described by European officials as stream of consciousness, filled with superlatives but not following a linear argument"
Finally the gloves are off, and people in the old institutions of the rule-based world so hated by the narcissistic fake president are losing their fear of actually telling it how it is.
6
I am sure two walls are next on Trump’s agenda, with travel bans on all citizens from western democratic countries.
1
If you really think about Trump is the ultimate Trojan horse representing Putin he talks as if he is for America but all his actions actually benefit Mother Russia not America. This will not end well for any of us, get ready people because this is far from over. Who knows what data dumps are going to come out of the rest of the worlds intelligence services related to a Trump and Putin once their leaders come to the conclusion that there is no working with him. Trust me there is dirt out there they are sitting on as negotiating tools.
8
The neighborhood bully threw a tantrum when his neighbors united in a firm stance – refused to be bullied.
3
Years from today, we shall all look back at the Trump presidency as a great joke and laugh at how was it ever possible or real. But today, sadly, it is no laughing matter - more like a sickening sinking feeling because it is all too real.
10
Americans who did not vote for him will never laugh. The compromise of a president by a foreign power, the destruction of any feeling of unity in America, the obscene acts against immigrants and people of color......will take decades to heal. The breakdown of any moral imperative may never recover.
5
I know somewhere in our subconscious we saw this coming. A lot of my thanks goes to the Electoral College, which should be abolished for a down is up world.
Truly abhorrent presidential behavior at G7 Summit Meeting, Paris Accord, Iran Deal, among many prior meetings w-heads of states & foreign dignitaries (name a country) or rule of law, DOJ/FBI, this President blows up, with the exception of not calling out certain despots. He cannot conduct himself w/o destroying everything that makes this country great, under the guise of Making America Great Again.
Agreed, the President is a dangerous fool w-no one around him or in Congress with a spine to stand up to him, except those Congressmen who are resigning, retiring, leaving the fight. Where is the rest of our silent Congress, besides a spartan few?
I understand those of us that are angry, esp Trumps' base, I understand not wanting to know about the condition of our nation, the conduct of our President. It is very upsetting, which is in itself an understated understatement.
Being angry and believing something to be true when its not factually so, is just that, angry and divisive. Then amplified by news stations that serve as the President's voice, continuing to channel the anger, disinformation, division. It makes those of us that don't agree with Trumps' base, the Other, when Trumps' base and the Other are really One.
Anger rules thoughtlessness. Opinion rules Fact. He will win another term and we will all suffer.
3
It is disastrous to have policy and behavior driven by one man’s infantile need to look powerful and appease a dictator (guess who?).
3
That this country has degenerated to the extent it has is due to a variety of factors. Those factors are to complex for one post, but make no mistake, the United States is rapidly losing its grip on world dominance. Worse, short of rebellion similar to the Revolutionary War, we are doomed. Our young generation is dominated by soft, weak illiterates, victims of a public education system that abandoned them long ago. The government has been bought and sold several times over, we all know this. EVERY decision is based on profit or power. No self respecting true leader would want to be a part of this debacle. Trump is simply a cancerous tumor of a terminal disease that has metastasized to every segment of this country, that disease is greed. One by one every system put in place to keep this democracy strong has been eradicated. Perhaps it's cliche to compare use to the Roman empire but the parallel is truly stunning, and the result will be the same, we will diminish as another power takes our place. We are weak, China has been around forever, Russia endured the death of 30 million of its population, Europe experienced the holocaust and war after war. We've been around less than 300 years yet we have the d audacity to expect these countries to embrace American exceptionalism. That someone like Trump could ascend to the presidency is a stark reminder of how much this country has declined.
9
If negotiations with North Korea don't flatter his ego,President Buck Passer will blame Trudeau.
2
Trudeau is Trump’s new Obama punching bag.
1
The meeting in Quebec was a stage set for Comrade Trumpski to undermine the Western Alliance at the behest of his mentor and boss,Vlad Putin.We can no longer look away from Trumps fealty to the forces of darkness as he undermines Americas basic freedoms and the truth.We are left diminished as a nation and now certainly know in our hearts that this will not end well
4
One of your best Paul! it is indeed sad that we have people who no nothing about economics and economies blabbering on and worst yet giving advice to man who "trust his gut"
1
Trump says the US is used as a “piggy bank”. We’ll, that’s one thing he know. His Daddy’s piggy bank started Donald’s business and he turned to it every time he got into trouble. One time Daddy Trump bought $3 million of chips in one of Donny’s failing casino’s to bail him out.
Trump business model is to borrow, borrow, borrow and declare bankruptcy when the tab is due. He has zero understanding of world economy and thinks his bully stance will work on the world stage. And really, it might, not because Trump is correct or smart, nut because our economy is strong (thanks to past leaders) and countries want/need to do business with us. But it won’t work over the long run. And it’s a dumb plan for the current inter-woven global economy.
8
That's the real disaster of this chump change. No matter who replaces him and how sensible that person is, other nations always will consider that another madman could replace that person. We won't be able to have a good faith agreement on anything for years, if ever.
19
Climate change ignorance and the fall out for us is the true damage this demented old demagogoue is causing us.
2
“……..trade helps strengthen the free world. Yet today protectionism is being used by some American politicians as a cheap form of nationalism, a fig leaf for those unwilling to maintain America’s military strength and who lack the resolve to stand up to real enemies — countries that would use violence against us or our allies. Our peaceful trading partners are not our enemies; they are our allies. We should beware of the demagogues who are ready to declare a trade war against our friends — weakening our economy, our national security, and the entire free world — all while cynically waving the American flag. The expansion of the international economy is not a foreign invasion; it is an American triumph, one we worked hard to achieve, and something central to our vision of a peaceful and prosperous world of freedom.” – Ronald Reagan radio address, 11/26/1988
21
Great comment
Is it just me or is Larry Kudlow's slurred and incoherent responses to Trump's debacle at the G7 a disturbing indication of inebriation? No joke, watch: https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/10/world/trump-g7-communique-reaction-intl/i...
And this is what we have representing our national interests? Talk about an ultra-warped Kafakayeske reality.
Somebody wake me up from this night-terror.
5
This is an example of Trumps "no need to prep" approach toward meetings. His "expert" aides were scared to tell him that putin would not be there. We'll see how that goes at the noko negotiations next week. Kim Jong Un and Dennis Rodman must be high fivin right now.
5
What comes next? Well, it's the Summit in Singapore. A meeting between a volatile, hypersensitive nuclear-equipped dictator and a fuming, humiliated, impulse-driven maniac (that would be Trump; You can't tell the players without a scorecard).
If this were a film about a dystopian future where insane villians have taken over the planet, the Summit would be the horrific climax where the two most evil and powerful overlords stage their Doomsday Showdown.
9
With Trump's G7 performance, we see the narcissistic, paranoid sociopath again showing his true colors. When he is not the undisputed alpha male of any gathering, he goes on the attack, and usually with outrageous lies. His insatiable need to be "the greatest" outweighs any possibility of behaving rationally among equals, and now he has demonstrated it on the world stage. Congress must step up and do their duty to defend the Constitution, restore our nation's integrity in the eyes of our allies, and stop the man who will surely destroy us if he has the chance.
12
The floating of the idea by Trump to pardon Muhammad Ali (when he doesn't even need to be) fits his skewed logic, where to pardon the "greatest" could only be done by someone greater than that.
I feel sorry for Mr. Trump. He is obviously a sociopath and a very disturbed individual. I do NOT feel sorry for Americans who voted for him and continue to give him their unabashed support. Sure, Canadians can retaliate by increasing tariffs on the US, but on a more personal basis, watch for boycotts of American products and US travel destinations by individual Canadians. I cannot emphasize enough the depth of antagonism toward the US that your President has generated. How long will it take to fix this? C’mon Americans, do something before not only your institutions but the world’s are blown up!
9
Congressional Republicans:
Please rid the country of this delusional man. The damage he is wreaking is staggering.
[And has been pointed out, even after he is gone, the fact that the United States allowed this creature to be president will always be in the back of the minds of our allies.]
17
Isn't a diplomat, isn't inclusive, isn't able to compromise. Uh-oh! Korea?
5
The Republican party owns the maniac in the White House; they created him and have enabled him by their silence. They better figure out a way to rein him in or God help us all; he is utterly destroying this country.
10
Trump threatened to "stop all trade with any country that did not lower or even eliminate tariffs".
Who the heck is he, to "stop all trade" with a country? (It is congress' role to regulate trade). We fought a war of independence to get out from under a mad tyrant. This has gone too far, this "Trump" thing. It is no presidency.
Trump must be repudiated hard. All western democracies must do what they can to make it hurt. And we voters must repudiate Trump and his disgraceful behavior.
13
Can we please enforce our Constitution? Please, Mr. Mueller and colleagues, hasten your sacred duties. How much American blood was spilled in opposing the Soviet way? How many were gunned down in Berlin and Budapest? Now we have their special pleader in the White House doing their bidding.
Every American value, ideal, institution and ally has been trampled upon by this most uncouth man. Please restore our decency and world order! In the upside down world that began 18 months ago a Russian hockey player will be feted at the White House while our African American brothers and sisters are demonized and disinvited for exercising their freedom of speech and conscience. O tempora, o mores!
8
"Can we please enforce our Constitution?"
I can only hope for that. Both parties have promised its supporters that they will get the feds to handle every little problem that vexes them. That level of intrusiveness was never intended by the founders, yet here we are.
1
Trump doesn't need to study, or know anything, he just follows his gut. Of course that's led him to six bankruptcies.
It's obvious that he and the rest of the world are suffering from his dysbiotic gut. When you drink 12 Cokes a day, that's what happens.
Trump is not really the president, his dysfunctional microbiota is our president. I'm not kidding about this - it's all based on science and explains everything perfectly, as nothing else can.
15
Okay. All of this certainly sounds really bad. But I think some of you are forgetting the horror we might have been facing if Trump had lost! Are you all forgetting about Hilary Clinton's PRIVATE EMAIL SERVER? The private email server that was so terribly important, that posed such a threat to the free world, The New York Times just had to plaster scary stories about it on the front page over and over and over again?
Yes, I know Trump is bad for America. But just think about how much worse things could have been, if he had lost, and that private email server was still out there somewhere, just waiting to KILL US ALL! I for one am glad that the NY Times gave it the endless amount of coverage a threat of that much importance truly deserved!
28
James thanks for the drop of humor this morning. Yes, the NYT, the state of New York and the city of New York knew long before us who Donald Trump was. The city, state and this newspaper were complicit in getting Trump elected. As you point out we had daily Clinton bashing above the fold in the NYT about emails but where were the relentless articles about Trump University, cheating contractors and a fake Trump charity. It was nowhere to be found. Where was ace reporter Haberman who has touted her long time coverage of Trump as an asset which landed her a coveted award. But of course HRC was an easier punching bag who would not use her alleged immense power to strike back. Trump would and does.
9
Yes, we heard that be fore. If nothing more comes to your mind just blame the other side. They are even worse.
So be happy with what you got. Congratulations.
1
Yeah, Austrians should understand Trump, having given the world the little corporal.
4
All Americans should be embarrassed and upset by Trump denigration of the Western Alliance.
But most of all, the Republican Party - the party of free trade and unfettered Capitalism - should be screaming from the rafters in Congress. Other than John McCain, where are they??? Cowering under their mattresses?
Donald Trump and those who supported him and continue to support him have undermined the moral authority and leadership of America. They have desecrated the Constitution by not taking action to impeach a reckless and immoral president.
6
Easy to explain: there is a slow-motion coup in effect.
I am so tired of these debacles run by Putin. Why is it so impossible to get this clown, Trump, out of office? If there is any group of people that lacks patriotism, it is the GOP. They are willing to destroy the country in order to maintain their own delusions of grandeur. You can't make this stuff up.
11
what makes Trump a real danger is the complicity of the GOP leaders and majority. Their lack of action and silence give credence that Trumps lunacy represents America.
EVERY TRAITOROUS GOP politician needs to be voted out! BUT DEMOCRATS HAVE TO SHOW UP AND VOTE!!!
7
Pathetic. I will never forgive or forget the 24% of the American electorate responsible for this unending puerile debacle. unless and until we extensively rework the 1787 Constitution so that it more accurately reflects the American electorate I think we're going to be exposed to this kind of thing more and more.
3
Ask the members or your state's legislature why you have a "winner-take-all" method for selecting the president. Arizona and 47 other states award every single elector to the winner of the popular vote, even if no one receives a majority of the vote. The Constitution stipulates that the states choose the manner in which electors are chosen and how many electors each state has. As intended, each elector was to be an independent "free agent", above politics and able to best determine who should be president. In effect, it was set up to prevent a "Trump scenario".
It has, however, been corrupted at the state level. Democrats and Republicans alike in 48 states have written the rules so that, no matter who wins the popular vote, that candidate gets every single electoral vote. Quite simply, it's because both parties are more concerned with power than what's right for the country.
If you want to complain about how Trump was elected, start with your own state's political apparatus first.
2
I thought we had reached the bottom of the barrel, absolute zero, the worst of the worst in Cheney. Is Trump human?
20
Trump is worse than insane--he has several co-morbid personality disorders, for which there are no cures. Personality disorders are basically hardwired in people's brains, and cannot be managed successfully. Trump has characteristics common to all personality disorders, i.e., total lack of empathy, inability to feel remorse, disregard for right and wrong, arrogance, abusive relationships, impulsiveness and deceitful behavior to exploit others--to name a few.
Thanks to the greed of Republican politicians who have taken $millions for their "campaign" funds from oligarchs, the NRA and corporations, nothing will be done by the right wing Congress to impede even the most outrageous actions by the president. It boggles the mind that millions still support this national embarrassment who has destroyed our international relationships with our friends.
The G 7 meeting was a debacle of the first order! Personally, I think Trump was jealous of the good looking Prime Minister of Canada--our closet ally--he is that petty. Frighteningly, he's probably going to do something dangerous with N. Korea, given his diplomatic "skills".
10
On all their minds is the prayer “Just let me get through this next election...”
At what page in the ALEC manual are we?
4
Frankly I am stunned Americans let this man run loose. He is a danger to everyone.
He has yet to denounce the Russian influence in the 2016 election.
He endorses the hit squads of Duterte, extra judicial killings, in the Phillipines.
He helped rescue a Chinese company found to be threat to US national security.
He attacks US allies publicly and personally.
When are you going to stop him?
44
How is the question. The Congress is paralyzed by partisan vaudeville tricks, the GOP is probably implicated in the Russian mess, the Democrats don't have the votes, the few cabinet members who might have invoked the 25th amendment have departed. The rest of us still believe in the rule of law as the basis for our democracy but the people in charge have no basis of governance except guts and drama. The winner here is Putin who quite visibly controls this shameful man.
2
To our dear Canadian friends:
Even though Trump called your Prime Minister Trudeau “very dishonest and weak,” don't fret. He called our President Obama "a disaster," "weak" and "ineffective." He still cannot get over Obama as president and Prime Minister Trudeau's great relationship with Obama puts him in the same Trump orbit for verbal attacks.
Please know that we are with you.
15
And Trudeau is taller! That must gall Trump no end!
8
Dear Canada,
Those of us Americans who are aware of your existence and can point you out on a map love you. The person who many people tell me is somehow our current President is as inexplicable, incoherent, and inexcusable as you and the rest of our allies think he is.
This man trashes our world allies and suggests that the primary enemy of Western democracies should make the G7 into the G8 again.
We hope you forgive and bear with us during this interlude of insanity.
8
I liked the one picture where the leader of the free world was leaning over the table and the lunatic Trump was sitting there pouting while she read him the riot act.
4
I’ve been having this really weird fantasy that trump comes out of the summit in Singapore bragging about some concessions from kim and Oslo awards the Nobel Peace Prize to kim Jong un.
5
Now that would be priceless! Thanks for giving us something to hope for.
1
One day Donald Trump will have his own chapter in US History grade school textbooks. He's that horiffic.
5
He believes no publicity is bad, so he would be pleased.
Sad.
Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo nailed it even before Trump blew up the summit:
"If candidate Trump and President Putin had made a corrupt bargain which obligated President Trump to destabilize all U.S. security and trade alliances (especially NATO, which has been Russia’s primary strategic goal for 70 years) and advance the strategic interests of Russia, there’s really nothing more remotely realistic he could have done to accomplish that than what he has in fact done."
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/weve-got-a-problem-a-big-problem
5
„At the very least it will damage America’s reputation as a reliable ally for decades to come; even if Trump eventually departs the scene in disgrace, the fact that someone like him could come to power in the first place will always be in the back of everyone’s mind.“
Having subscribed to the nytimes because this „movement“ started to title your free press as „fake news“, I see your point as well a real danger. Your country certainly lost a frightening amount of goodwill among friendly nations and their positive people just within one weekend, and just by having these friendly people observe the missing respect that your president demonstrated in this meeting. Not to talk about the positions and the false accusations that these people are constantly hearing. However if you really have a a long-term problem in terms of reputation is decided with the next election - everybody is aware that it is a very old and was a very strong partnership.
Hard to figure out what Trump is trying to do and whether he's being successful. He has managed (or mismanaged) to throw the entire world into a disarray; alienating our longtime allies, providing some comfort for previously considered competitors/enemies (e.g. Russia, N Korea) and confusing everyone--the US public and the world. What makes it worse for me is his "supporters" are indignant at the critique his behavior has elicited. Fake News ...
His behavior at the G-7 demonstrates just how much he's out of sync with "reality". I can't wait to see what happens with his summit with Kim Jung-Un.
He fails to appreciate that being POTUS is a responsibility not an ego trip. He fails to differentiate the person from the the position. He may think he's The State when in actual case it's just a state of mind (or is it "mine"?).
God bless America ... we need it.
2
I was so upset last night, I could not sleep..compulsivelly reading the international media. Today it has emerged TRUMP HAS HAD SOME SUCCESS....UNITING CANADA ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM...Our one Green MP has come out for Trudeau and Canada as has former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The newly elected Progressive Conservative Premier of Ontario who had been characterized as possibly like trump immediately supported our Prime Minister and Canada. Many of the industries harmed by tbe trump tariffs are in Ontario.
I am feeling a bit better because Canada is united against the illegal and unfair trump trade actions. And on the hourly news an increasing cascade of insults from trump...navaro, kudlow etc.?Trudeau stabbed you in the back???
I read today that the republicans in your congress are seeking a war resolution. I hope Kim does not have advisors reading the CNN app! I think it is fair to say that Canada will NOT JOIN THE USA IN A WAR OF AGGRESSION. I had already phoned my MP's office re this and will try to send off emails against joining any US war of aggression.
2
Why does he do these things? And why does his base cheer him on? It is not because he is being blackmailed by Putin (though he may be). It is for the same reason that the Taliban destroyed statues, that ISIS destroys cultural treasures and libraries. Victorious barbarians have always destroyed the cultures of their enemies. In this case, we, the children of the Enlightenment, the post World War democratic idealism, and multinational, multicultural law-based progressivism - are the enemy. And we are losing.
2
Trump seems to be to be generous a less than adequate leader. Apart from this it would be good to suggest a serious platform to the democratic party. Being anti-terrible should not be a viable program for any candidate
6
Debacle:
Paul Krugman ("The Conscience of a Liberal"),
I hope you are having pangs of regret thinking we could have had a President Bernie Sanders at the G-7—
If individuals like you had endorsed and promoted his candidacy.
Deep pangs.
Trump is a populist. His core support comes from regions more or less bypassed by the modern globalized economy. The muckety-mucks Trump insulted at this meeting represent the kind of elitists they believe Hillary and Obama would have bent over backwards to accommodate, selling out Joe and Jane six pack in the process. Even in the so-called outward looking coastal cities, the average American's interest and understanding of world affairs is fleeting, at best.
Which is all to say that in 2024, when Trump is running for a third term (because, other than the Constitution, who's to say he can't), this "debacle" will be regarded as at worst a colorful anecdote and at best yet another example of how he yet again demonstrated his rule breaking, bad boy bonafides to those who love and support him the most.
This is very similar to Nero in Rome. How did that turn out?
2
I knew the G7 would be a disaster, but this is even worse than I had imagined. America's strength is its soft power, its ability to inspire the world to the tune of "all men are created equal." We just vacated the world stage and left a huge power vacuum for China to fill. I had thought the next president would have a tough job salvaging the wreckage of our democracy, but the damage may be too great to reverse.
3
Mr. Trump is hoping to boost Russia's GDP. He has definitely been lowering ours by acting poorly everytime he meets with our allies.
The picture from the G7 is pretty clear. "If I don't do what Putin wants he will..."
2
One reason Canada doesn't want our dairy is because they outlaw growth hormones that increase milk production in US cows.
10
This would be the same Paul Krugman who, on the day Trump was elected, said, "So we are very probably looking at a global recession, with no end in sight."?
2
Yes, and Krugman admitted he was wrong, something neither the ignorant Trump nor his fawning, unreasoning apologists would ever do. We are commenting on today's article, not one from two years ago. Get up to speed with the real world or find yourself forever stuck behind in Trumplandia.
2
Wait for it....
2
Have anyone of you actually went and looked at the Data of the WTO has on what tariffs are in place, and at least what the rate is...I mean i understand domestic protection, canada does not want its dairy farmers hurt By how much we produce in the south, So lets Put a 268 percent charge on it after TRQ and for butters well 297 percent should be right.. Now I know they like the fruits and veggies sent north... But Really listening to a country that has what 37 million people in it.. Hmm California has more than that... For some reason i am sure Trump will stick with his Plan no matter what...
I would recommend reading this for clarification on the subject.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2018/jun/09/milk-canada-...
In summary,
Canada and US trade in dairy is minor in comparison to other trade between the two nations. Canada believes in supporting farmers and thus keeping prices stable, which in turn has led to a much healthier environment for farmers in Canada. US dairy market is suffering from over supply and with no price protection has led to prices being lower than production cost.
My two cents is that this is once again a way for trump to play to his base about him protecting American workers. If taken at face value though the argument that Canadian dairy tariffs are hurting US dairy is silly at best. Or is it that the United States market driven policy has failed yet another industry and its workers? If in a country of over 300 million you can not take care of your own dairy industry with that amount of population, I'm sorry the problem isn't going to be solved by flooding the Canadian market with US dairy!
4
If Trump is capable of angering Canadians god forbid what will happen when he moves onto much less "nice" countries Trump supporters deserve what is coming our way the rest of us not so much.
2
Don is no doubt trying to look the part of tough, uncompromising savior of the American working class. He surrounds himself with echo chambers like the unqualified Larry Kudlow to reinforce his ill-conceived ideas. Of course, our (former) allies will likely band together and leave Trump's U.S. behind. Will his supporters recognize the reason for their economic woes when all this hits the fan? Don't count on it!
So it's really come down to this.
I'm going to be honest. I don't even like your country right now. Not just the Trump administration, not just the government, the entire 350 million people in the country. And that's really stupid of me, because why in the world should I change my opinion of 350 million people based on what three men do?
This is how the Trump administration works. This is how they sow divisiveness and derision, this is how they split alliances and destroy friendships. For some reason or another, the Trump administration does not want the United States and Canada to be allies. They do not want to be on an equal footing with foreigners who look, act, speak, and are mostly indistinguishable from Americans.
Canadians prove false the most fundamental lie of the Trump administration: there is no real difference between American citizens and anybody else. We are all simply human beings, with equal potential, regardless of citizenship or place of birth. What does it say about the Trump administration and their policies when there is a country that believes in climate change, in universal health care, in tolerance, in diversity, just to the north, with English-speaking white people, and their world hasn't ended?
We don't need anyone to "Make Canada Great Again". When Americans see their new dictator, they also see The North. The Trump administration doesn't want you to see us anymore, because we remind you that you can be great without Trump.
9
Trump is the best thing that ever happened to Canada.Really uniting the country.Plus I would advise not buying in Florida as the thousands of Canadians selling will depress the market.
4
So here we are about witness an Historic event btw The U S & N Korea.Like all Canadians I hope that it goes well & a peaceful solution is reached.
That said,i enjoyed Krugman's views In "Debacle in Quebec".Good to see that there are those who get it.After the G-7 Your president UNLEASHED HIS ATTACK DOGS ON THE MEDIA TO STROKE POTUS'S EGO.
Once again D J T uses Fiction rather than fact.His position on trade Btw Canada & The U S is just another "Alternative Fact"
Some Facts
Canada has some high tariffs in a few areas, such as dairy, which Trump is obsessing about. But the average tariffs imposed by Britain, France and Germany, according to the World Bank, are just 1.6 per cent. In Canada’s case, it’s even less — 0.8 per cent."
Trump either didn’t know that or didn’t want to know. He chose to make up his own facts and mix them in with gratuitous insults aimed at the United States’ closest and most
dependable allies.
In reading the comments by your readers I'm encouraged that people get it.
The G-7 debacle is just another indication that Trump suffers from serious mental and emotional issues and a malign ignorance so pervasive his every international move represents a serious danger to the United States. His return to his clear obsession with Russia should leave no doubt that Putin or the Russian oligarchs have something which could crush Trump either personally or financially. And yet his know-nothing minions bleat on about trade imbalances in a system largely created by the US to benefit US economic interests. The lyrics of the Buffalo Springfield's song 'For What It Is Worth' never seemed more relevant.
4
Even assuming the U.S. will eventually recover from the idiocies of the erstwhile president, how long one wonders will it take for other nations to trust our foreign policy? The country is so encumbered with the likes of Trump, it seems almost impossible for it to be free of this intellectually deficient, self-involved and dishonest man. The real tragedy, however, lies in the fact that some 45 percent of Americans approve of what Trump says and does.
1
The United States now considers Russia a friend and Canada an enemy. Executives in the US Government deride Canadians, while insisting that Russia be treated as partner . The end of our friendship has arrived, we should withdraw our ambassador and any military associated with US endeavors, lock up our borders, and be prepared for the inevitable invasion by the US and its Russian allies.
2
Dear Congress, my beloved country is in deep trouble. The country I served as a teenager during the Vietnam War is in a moral quagmire. Back then, government officials and the media labeled it a “conflict“ in the hope of tamping down early public dissent. However, we GIs knew it was a war. Same thing goes now 50 years later. This is now a war, not a conflict for America’s soul, with Trump and his immoral cabal taking us down day by nasty day. We’ve given it 500 days or so, and now we know that this is a full-blown war with no domestic peace in sight. Congress cowardly stood largely silent and unapologetic in 1968 – let Congress not stand down now. Otherwise, Trump, the draft dodger, will demagnetize what’s left of our moral compass.
12
Very well said!
1 -Invite Brazil and India to a new G7 and let go the US
2- Raise tarifs on US goods and services
3- Regulate electronic services such as Netflix, Facebook, Google,etc.
4- Start buying energy in other currency than USD (Iran is willing to sell in Euro)
5 - Stop investing in T-Bills
6 - wait 2 years and see the carnage in the US.
7- Explain that when one fly alone, one dies alone.
8 - reboot relations with US provide sanity is back in US politics and leadership.
7
I think Krugman nails it at the end of he column. None of these heads of state have any interest in flattering or bribing Trump. And I imagine Trump fundamentally gets that these people don’t think much of him (because why would they), and his antagonism is playing out in ways that will ultimately be harmful to the country.
But hey, as long as the rubes feel he’s taking it to the liberals and the globalists...
29
If Trump won’t sign the joint agreement, I will. I am hoping someone can post it online so Americans can sign it. Trump does not represent me.
5
It was theatrics as a prelude to Singapore.
Trump wants to be unpredictable. Somehow he equate that with diplomacy where he goes in, smashes things until he gets what he wants, and profits. That might work for a loutish Queens developer steamrolling local officials in Atlantic City. It won't work against Kim. Kim won't be intimidated. Kim also won't be trusting. Trump's USA breaks its word, shafts its friends, and platys the victim.
Kim will toy with this bullheaded fake. Nothing that comes out of this will be real except Kim's new status in the world.
2
America's real power is soft; it isn't our military might but our ability to inspire our nations to move toward democracy, equality, with our embrace of diversity. When American troops went to Iraq, what awed Iraqis wasn't the technology, but the diversity of the troips...different races, religions, even nations of birth, all in the same uniform with a shared mission. We showed them that inter ethnic peace is possible. Well, with the disaster of the G7, America just vacated the world stage and left a huge power vacuum for China to fill.
4
The G6 might do well to ignore Trump completely . Perhaps they could start inviting Obama to meetings. This just might cause DJT to become apoplectic and sucomb to a cardiac event.
5
And thank you Mr. Trudeau for your service to the United States in calling out this delusional man.
Now, congressional Republicans, do your constitutional job and rid us of this blight known as Trump.
3
I don’t think he is just speaking to his base. If he were, we would not look so out of control with smoke coming out of his ears. He has an explosive personality and is simply exploding. He is angry because he was treated as being insignificant, which he is sadly becoming indeed.
8
The keystone here is Trump's belligerent ignorance. He doesn't read, he doesn't even seem to think. While his capabilities are severely limited, his inadequacies are legion. He was clearly unfit for the job, yet was sort-of elected anyway. So who exactly was and is pulling his strings?
Whatever he was trying to accomplish at the G7 on behalf of Russia was not accomplished. Instead, he dragged America down to his own subhuman level. And tomorrow he enters Kim Jong-un's orbit, trailing clouds of dust from his disgraceful performance against our closest and most reliable allies, as well as the United States itself. Kim will have his way with Trump, and Trump will be outwitted at every turn. He was never the master deal maker he pretends to be.
Where is Congress? Why are they still in Trump's thrall? Why is there no call for him to be removed from office after his destructive G7 performance? What will it take to shock Congress into finally taking action?
3
It's a BRIBE. Putin’s primary quid to Trump’s pro quo (lifting sanctions) is $12,000,000,000 interest in Rosneft – Russia’s largest oil company.When you look at Trump's behavior toward Russia through a different lens (BRIBE instead of kompromat), Trump's behavior is logical and criminal. It’s a BRIBE. 18 U.S.C. 201.
2
If Canada started developing nuclear weapons, could we get on Trump's good side?
6
Trump is clearly leveraged up to his eyeballs to the Russians. I wouldn’t be surprised if he owes them over a billion dollars. They own him. Everything he does is in service of his debt.
The real question is “Why do Republicans in Congress continue to bow down to him? Why don’t they remove him?” What are they afraid of?
2
All of our allies should immediately counter trump with their own tariffs, specifically targeting red states. It's high time trump's supporters learn the true costs of fascism. Hit them in the pocketbook.
6
With Trump US reputation is already been damaged, the next US president will have the unpleasant task like Presdent Obama had in early months to the office: to go out to allies and ask for forgiveness for the damages of the previous administration. It is up to you American people to endured frost relationships with your traditional allies or start a new chapter by sending a mature guy to the job when the next opportunity comes.
Putin is accomplishing his mission—to divide and conquer the West. And to see how Trump has strong-armed our allies while toadying to Russia speaks volumes. Putin is the master of manipulation. He has likely bribed Trump to do his biddings (just look at machinations with FIFA to win the bid for hosting this year’s World Cup). Trump cares only about Trump and will do what is in HIS best interests. He’s so transparent that I can’t believe that he’s getting away with this while Congress sits by idly. Republicans, you got your tax cuts. Now get rid of this corrupted president before he brings us all down!
2
Poor trump, he got the jitters so bad about his upcoming meeting with Kim that he had to take it out on our western allies.
1
Trumps latest puffing episode may result in a short down turn in the financial markets but nothing more. Business will be done as usual as the days move farther away from the political posturing of Trudeau, Trump and Kudlow. The reality of doing business day-to-day has more of an effect on the economy than bloviating politicians.
Trump doesn't give in, roll over and give away our chances at trade, calls on our allies to all stop the tariffs and blocks to trade, and that is bad?
Yes. Nothing he does has reason behind it.
2
Trump and his advisors are by no means calling for "free trade".
1
Did...didja read the article?
"Trump demanded that the other G7 members remove their “ridiculous and unacceptable” tariffs on U.S. goods – which would be hard for them to do, because their actual tariff rates are very low. The European Union, for example, levies an average tariff of only three percent on US goods. Who says so? The U.S. government’s own guide to exporters.
True, there are some particular sectors where each country imposes special barriers to trade. Yes, Canada imposes high tariffs on certain dairy products. But it’s hard to make the case that these special cases are any worse than, say, the 25 percent tariff the U.S. still imposes on light trucks. The overall picture is that all of the G7 members have very open markets."
2
...and yet, 80% (of more) of Republicans think he’s doing a good job.
It won’t take long for the historical record to accurately identify the precise moment when America began her decline....and identity the people that brought it upon us.
10
All I can say is "thank you" once again to those who voted for and continue to support this man. Oh, and again, a special thanks to the republican party for setting the stage, providing the platform and then abandoning the needs of our country.
7
Watching from Europe, we expected the following: Trump would be Trump, and then US officials would declare that it was business as usual. They would make it clear that POTUS wasn't to be taken seriously, and we could all carry on.
That didn't happen. Apart from a couple of tweets (thank you, John McCain), we saw high officials take to the airwaves to insult and denigrate Canada.
It appears that a large section of the American public want to see a fist in the face for friends, and smooches for dictators. Well, we've got the message.
7
May be the trade deficit play from Trump is a ‘baton wielding’ exercise that Trump is using to let Western Countries and China know to watch out, rise up to take a bigger share in running the world, and yes to stop using USA as their piggy bank.
The trade deficit and the world’s reserve currency argument (even though not directly mentioned in this article, but relevant) can be shaken up. After years of inaction informed from academic cogency I do not think a stirring up of the pot can be that bad. And may be economists will learn a thing or two from what happens now.
Mr. Krugman, I think you are distilling down Trump's play to school buy behavior - who gets along with whom, who wants his friends to get invited - at least a little bit, while missing the powerful message that Trump's behavior sends to those who are looking to join him in decision making: do not mess with this US President, and you'h better believe he can call tough shots.
This perception can be powerful when dealing with individuals such as Kim Jong Un who with all due respect to you Mr. Krugman I do not believe care much about the economic fundamentals and arguments.
And in ignoring THAT, may lie your naïveté, Mr. Krugman. Different ballgame lecturing economic theories than running the world.
Trump made only one specific claim... about the tariffs on diary products... Dr. Krugman acknowledges in the column that he is telling the truth.
The rest of the column is dedicated to attacking strawmen and speculating about what Trump really believes and why he believes it. That the only fact mentioned in the article (diary tariffs) undermines the whole narrative does not bother Prof. Krugman.
This is a good example of what Trump meant when he said that "The facts are true, the news is fake".
The dairy products are in direct competition with US dairy and the tariffs are protectionist.
@Juggernaut
Actually Trump has claimed on numerous occasions that Canada has a trade surplus with the US. It doesn't. The US has a trade surplus with Canada. Nor is the milk tariff the only fact mentioned in the article.
Unfortunately, your comment is a good example of the standards of truth that prevail for Trump and his supporters.
5
@Nancy Rathke
A bit like the protectionist US tariffs on sugar and peanuts then. As Krugman points out all countries have the odd crazy tariff because some local interest has got control of the political process but basically tariffs between Canada and the EU, and the US, are small to non existent. Invisible barriers are generally far important.
A view from the UK: I can entirely understand why the whole G7 incident feels like an embarrassment to many reasonably-minded Americans - and I would feel the same if a UK Prime Minister were to conduct themselves like this (indeed, our Foreign Secretary is a bumbling, posh, unnervingly ambitious, watered-down-Trump wannabe).
But I can't help feeling that those saying this spells the end of the post-war system of Western international trade are overstating the case - G7 summits are essentially photo opportunities for leaders to showcase their statesperson-like credentials to domestic audiences and virtually nothing (good or bad) is really determined there.
The business of international trade is in fact managed by domestic legislatures, civil servants, international institutions and the self-interest of corporations - a combined cabal that is extremely resistant to dramatic change (which could be seen as a positive or a negative).
Judgement on this latest carnival show should wait until there are policy changes proposed. In the meantime, I can confirm that the view of your President from abroad is a mixture of bemusement and mild anxiety - but that no-one really thinks he is representative of America as a whole.
2
I am 71. I may not live to see the result of all this disgracful behavior from the person more-or-less elected to be the president. But I fear we are all witnessing the beginning of the end of the grand American eperiment in government of the people and for the people. Seems the electorate prefers tantrums over debate.
5
You (and I) are similar in age to Donald Trump. It is easy to imagine how confused and be-beleaguered this man might be. He must be nearing exhaustion-trying to placate all the different voices coming from his Republican and possibly Russian supporters. He has done whatever they demanded regardless of the damage done to his administration and to the United States.
Thanks for the crystal ball, but we all can see where we’re going on this Trump Tariff Trade Tirade. Like you said, this is not going to end well, and Republicans in Congress should all be on the gravy train to oblivion.
4
The idea of conflict between the US and Canada is so far-fetched it was made into a comedy called Canadian Bacon, which featured John Candy and Alan Alda.
In the movie, the US president played by Alda needs to boost his popularity at home so he goes to war against Canada.
With Trump, it's not unlikely that he was surfing channels and came across Canadian Bacon and a light bulb (a very dim one) went on in his head.
It's staggering to think that what was a premise for an absurd comedy 25 years ago is now reality as powered by Trump.
Down South, Trump's antics have propelled leftist Lopez Obrador to a 19% lead in the polls for the July election.
It takes real stable genius to alienate our third and fourth largest trade partners and their citizens in just 500 days.
Of course, given Trump's strident advocacy of Russia, the relevant movie may be Red Dawn, which is about the Soviets invading the US and a bunch of kids fighting back.
Unlike the movie, the Russians invaded this time without having to fire a shot.
Trump has given "red carpet" a whole new meaning.
8
President trumps attack on Prime Minister Trudeau could be more calculated than most commentators have been saying. By calling Trudeau weak, Trump has made it almost impossible for Canada to have a muted or nuanced reaction to the tariffs being imposed by the US. So Canada will be forced to provide a significant response.Trump will escalate this further, and dramatically raise tariffs on Canadian goods, Making a harsh example of Canada. Other countries around the world understand this threat.
I have lived in both Canada and the US all of my life and never do I remember a situation like this. I was in college - in Canada - in the late 60's and as the Viet Nam war aged on many Canadians supported draft dodgers and war protesters. I was one of many Canadians who felt the US could not be trusted; it was a country lacking a moral compass. I naively believed no president could be worse than Nixon. I was so wrong. It will be decades (and generations) before Canada will ever trust the US again - and that is only on condition that Trump and his minions do no further harm. Sadly, I am pretty sure trump is incapable of avoiding destructive behavior
9
It's one thing for Trump to negotiate hard with trade partners -- or what used to be trade partners. It's quite another to publicly spit in their faces while doing so.
Sad to say, its' probably time for we Canadians to start thinking about winding down our participation in NORAD, and start thinking about the structure of whatever is going to be needed to replace NATO. It's a tough position, but as things stand -- well with friends like America, who needs enemies?
8
There are lots of terrific points in so many of the comments. My problem is that 1. This guy changes his mind every half minute - 'mind' being something relative. 2. If he's only playing to his base, my feeling is that we just make point 1. as often as possible - whatever he says is just another Ho Hum. 3. The GOP are purely destructive, so reason plays little role in their 40-year old melodrama: as long as they go along with DT, what's there to do? Even the vote is rigged. 4. The most profound worry is Trump's playing with the fire of MAD. It's not fair to liken him to a child since children tend to mean well, even if they can't control the occasional tantrum. They are defenceless and the youngest only have crying - loud but hardly a 'voice'.
PS. I'd add that a lot of right-wing dominating political parties play the same tactics everywhere.
2
As embarassing and destructive as it is to think that our president was at the G7 summit with our allies, insisting that they stop doing bad things things they "just aren't doing," as Paul Krugman notes. I'm strangely happy that this opinion piece makes it clear that our allies aren't doing what Trump accused them of. I'm actually relieved that he's lying. Phew, Canada has not been an enemy of the U.S.
That's what it's come to. Being relieved to have questioned the truth of what our President tweets. (Is he ever going to hold a real press conference?)
And how could 40% of Americans approve of a president who treats Canada as our enemy and Russia as our friend? I wish I knew how to get his supporters to snap out of it.
8
What is most bizarre about this is the total silence of the Republican party in the face of this Gerry Springer like administration. The comments of Trump, Kudlow and Navarro belonged on daytime TV not international relations. And what does Putin have on Trump?
13
Follow the money: Huge loans from Putin directed Russian lenders. Putin wants to get something for his money, that’s the deal.
Paul, just a reminder that this weekend's debacle was brought to you by FOX, the network that makes viewers dumb and mean - and unless someone does something about it, we're going to have more debacles like this going forward, not less.
The GOP leadership needs to begin to taking on the FOX hosts and management that is supporting Trump - or else see their reputations trashed beyond redemption.
A politician shouldn't have to be at death's door to begin calling out the obvious.
34
"Dumb and mean" - perfect.
If you can't fairly trade with Canadians, who can you trade with? Really? This is just the start. Trump is going to drive everyone else away. This G7 meeting could well be "the day" historians mark as the beginning of the end of US Exceptionalism. The point where the US dollar starts to lose its world reserve status, where the US economy comes crashing down. I'm not saying a trade war with Canada will destroy the US economy but rather that a trade war with everyone will.
If Trump can't manage reasonable trade with Canada, how is he going to deal with China? He started a trade war... with Canada, over milk? Really?
55
It seems to be pretty clear now that if there is a "dark state," it belongs to the Republicans. Trump was chosen by an Electoral College minority of voters, with the help of Russian tech experts invading our voting system--whether he asked for the Russians' help or just accepted it when offered is irrelevant. His lies, ignorance, and constant insistence that he's the victim of a "witch hunt" and indulged in "no collusion"--although he's sure he can pardon himself and his colleagues if they're caught--show him to be a dangerous and destructive tool of the opposition. His only interest is in the benefits he can score from his high pedestal; remember, he never wanted to be a governor or senator, only president. As the least patriotic man who has ever been elected to that office, he criticizes selected groups for their lack of patriotism. He seems determined to make America a third-world country, cut off and held in contempt by the rest of the globe. And the Republican Party (a division of the NRA) is fine with that. The situation is only getting worse, and somehow, we have to turn it around before it's too late.
90
Don’t forget Congress—also a national MINORITY vote-getter since 2010 (that’s 4 elections in a row). In the entire history of the United States that’s only happened twice before 2000. What used to be a statistical anomaly is now a regular feature of our so-called democracy. If that doesn’t tell people something is broken in our electoral system, in the age of computational Big Data—that an electoral minority can rule as a legal majority, then I don’t know what will. #notdemocracy
47
You are correct. More people in the country voted for Democrats, yet the Congressional majority is held by Republicans because of jerry-meandering.
I went for a walk with two friends this morning. One of us argued that Trump had some kind of strategy to use insults to force concessions, although it was admittedly difficult to see how this could work. One of us argued only half jokingly that Trump was just following Putin's orders to break up the western alliance. I argued that there was no logic or rationale behind it. It was just like a toddler throwing a fit because his mommy made him go to a G7 meeting he did not like. Take your pick. Americans, I think it is your responsibility to the world to do something about this.
102
Yes it is our responsibility. Keep in mind that we have important congressional and state legislature elections coming up this Fall. There is a lot of energy in Democratic campaigns in many, and probably most of them. A Democratic majority in at least one of the houses of Congress would do a lot to reign in Trump. Longer term there are at least a dozen Democrats who want to run for president in 2020. Several of them would be formidable candidates. And there is the Mueller investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Nobody knows what its report will contain or when it will appear, but if nothing else it will make it difficult for Russia to do the same thing next time.
4
Trump does not need to know anything about nuclear weapons deals with North Korea or trade with our allies. His only metric for measuring his performance is his polling numbers with his base. Anything will do that can be sold to his base as a win. In fact, the worse the agreement is, the better it is for Trump, because more experts will criticize it, which will cause his base to circle the wagons around him even more. We've got a dangerous positive feedback loop happening here, which will result in catastrophe sooner than the GOP leadership thinks. By hunkering down and covering for him to buy time to achieve their goals they are playing with fire.
64
Trump, the hypocrite will support Russia as long as the Russian Banks loan his Trump organization money. Both of his sons have openly declared that “ This is where we get our money from”. American Banks will not loan him funds, because of his numerous bankruptcies. (Reference: CNN)
He builds condos everywhere and sells them to Russians for cash. For example,check the new condos in Sunny Isles Florida, mostly numbered companies. (Again I reference CNN). He also went back on his word to declare his taxes! Wake up America!
1
It makes me sad that Paul Krugman's "Debacle in Quebec" is so spot-on. It is indeed now in the back of everyone's minds that a Donald Trump could come to power in the first place. I applauded our Senator Corker for the effort to retroactively take "national security" off the table as a unilateral trade tariff lever for the Executive branch, and I can imagine Canadians astonished, mouths open, as there are Canadian officers in Cheyenne Mountain 24/7 helping run NORAD. We reach out to Canadians (and Europe) with the message that we're still the same US citizens we were two years ago, trying to figure a way out of this mess; The Art Of The Deal makes it clear that "ally" is a foreign concept to President Trump.
65
Jeffrey, I think that you sound like a nice guy. I don't buy your depiction of the United States. There are millions of people who support the President on a political level - that's how he got there. My wife and I were at a Mexican resort before the election and had a great chat with a nice couple from Wisconsin, who were voting for Donald Trump. They liked him. Trump is America now - and even worse, now he really is our problem as well. It's a dark place, the United States - and it's evolving very, very fast into some kind of fascist state - I just hope your military isn't as corrupted as your legislature. No, I'm not kidding - and THAT is the saddest part of all. Your country is very scary and dangerous.
3
"Russia, whose GDP is about the same size as Spain’s and quite a bit smaller than Brazil’s, was always a ringer in what was meant to be a group of major economies. "
Thank you for stating it so clearly!
93
Russia's GDP based on purchasing power parity (PPP) is more than twice the size of Spain's. Or Canada's for that matter. It is also larger than GDP (PPP) of France, UK or Italy (all G7 members).
8
@Lee in SF
PPP is believed by many to be a somewhat suspect metric. Is the Chinese economy really 25% larger than that of the US? In a general sense Russia's economy is something of a basket case, still massively dependent on energy and certain commodity exports, with little or no legal security of property or personal rights.
Canada has the same GDP as Russia.
China is quite a bit bigger than Japan, Germany and UK combined and yet, they have conspired to keep it out.
The best description of the G7 is "Countries with big economies that neocons don't want to destroy"
Thank you Paul Krugman, for stating the facts about G7 members, esp. Canada and the USA. It's unfortunate that the president of our neighbor, the USA, does not represent our American friends whom we've respected and thought of as our friends, and with whom we've managed to have a respectful relationship during last century and most of this one.
We are a nation of much few people than the USA, but we take pride in our vast nation as the descendants of settlers from the world over, just like our brothers and sisters in the USA. God bless both our nations.
53
Trump is playing to his base, making those G6 countries "look weak", expecting them to come begging. His basis? Why the awful trade deals put in place since WW II when the Marshall Plan rebuilt Europe and defended against the USSR and China through strategic dependence on US largess, something he and his advisors have all but forgotten (Read Navarro in this paper). I remain convinced that Putin, Xi and Kim (among others) are playing the game of using Trump and the republicans to split the west. The longer they assist him to remain in power (through FOX news, raising doubt on truth and democratic institutions including the vote, and small foreign policy wins such as Kim's return to Singapore) the better they like it. History undone.
56
Last year I took my daughter to Canada skiing, wonderful country. I will be spending my US dollars in Canada on my vacations for now on. Old Quebec at Christmas time is truly magical. No more Florida.
130
But don't expect any easier treatment at the border. Trump's irresponsibility will have consequences, and even Trump-like politicians in Canada are supporting Trudeau. Americans should expect retaliation.
1
I am a dual US and Canada citizen currently residing in Maryland. You are making a good decision going to Canada instead of school shooting FL
Thank you, PB! From a Canadian friend who shares those first two initials.
OK. So Trump says Trudeau took a cheap shot and made him look weak before the negotiations with North Korea. Let's say all of that is true. What I don't understand is -- how does not signing the agreement make him look stronger? Doesn't it make him look even weaker to throw the Monopoly board across the room because one of the players upset him?
183
Not just that it makes him look even weaker. It makes him look puerile.
4
absolutely! to call someone "weak" (as well as "dishonest") as Trump did just shows how weak he is. then his lackeys' comments "stabbing in the back." such comments are over the top stupidity.
3
The photo with Ms Merkel and Mr Trump received lots of attention relating to the, presumed, body language.
But, seriously, is this how our esteemed world leaders discuss and negotiate hugely important issues that impact millions of people? Naively, I imagined such discussions to take place in a meeting room, with proper process, around a nice large table, perhaps a couple of white boards, tons of aides nearby to pull up any economic data as needed, other aides constantly drafting and re-drafting proposals and potential agreements, yet more aides with direct communication lines to economic experts and government members back home, etc, etc.
I hope that the photo was just showing informal hallway conversation. No? This is it?
21
Trudeau should express sympathy to the American people. And then immediately order the RMCP and the Canadian Defense Ministry to take all steps necessary to prevent Russia from picking the next leader of Canada, as has happened in the USA.
Today, the elasticity of internationally traded goods is much lower than in the 1930s. Thus, even in a trade war with much higher tariffs by both countries, China would still buy almost as much soybeans and pork from America, and we would still buy almost as many electronics assembled in China as now. The tariffs would essentially be a very regressive tax imposed on the residents of both countries. This would raise prices and reduce standards of living in both countries. The net trade deficit with China would remain nearly the same, whether tariffs were increased or decreased by both sides or by only one side. The higher inflation from higher tariffs could force the Federal Reserve to raise rates more than otherwise. .."
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4164735
39
Yes. If the Dems are to make midterm gains, they need to call out the tariffs as the tax increase they are.
2
Yep that is where we are today. We buy electronics and high tech from China and sell them soybeans, pork, chicken, alfalfa, etc., just like any third world nation would. The real situation is not quite this bad, as most of the electronics we buy are US designed and most of the profit from it is made by US companies, but the trend should be pretty disconcerting to all Americans capable of rational thought.
1
I was listening to Background Briefing with Ian Masters this morning. A couple of takeaways from today's show: 1. Trump is just putting on a reality TV show to stoke his base. He's ignoring all other criteria, spectacle is all that matters to him; 2. Up until now, since the election of Trump, our G-7 allies had believed that no matter Trumps' wackiness, adults behind the scenes were actually in charge. Now they're beginning to wonder. The supine behavior of the GOP in particular has them thinking that perhaps America really has gone crazy. 3. In 2013 Trump had a meeting in Moscow with a group of Russian billionaire oligarchs (Putin was supposed to show but had to cancel at last minute for other engagement), in which they told him they'd help him become US president and a real billionaire just like them, if he followed their guidance (who knows?).
Krugman is spot on when he says that when Trump finally departs the scene, the very fact he even came to power will be on everyone's mind. Recovering that loss of confidence of our allies will require major changes in our political, media and economic systems to prevent another Trump episode. The ultimate question is: what will our investor class do when Trump's craziness starts to seriously impact *their* wealth and power? Interesting times ahead.
139
Unless American schools put civics lessons back in education we can't assume this won't happen again. An educated electorate is the only way to avoid another Trump like president.
3
The investor class is happy because they ultimately gain wealth each and every day Trump is in office. And as long as they’re making moolah, the rest of us can go to blazes. They make moolah white the rest was wait for Mueller.
2
I was listening to Background Briefing with Ian Masters this morning. A couple of takeaways from today's show: 1. Trump is just putting on a reality TV show to stoke his base. He's ignoring all other criteria, spectacle is all that matters to him; 2. Up until now, since the election of Trump, our G-7 allies had believed that no matter Trumps' wackiness, adults behind the scenes were actually in charge. Now they're beginning to wonder. The supine behavior of the GOP in particular has them thinking that perhaps America really has gone crazy. 3. In 2013 Trump had a meeting in Moscow with a group of Russian billionaire oligarchs (Putin was supposed to show but had to cancel at last minute for other engagement), in which they told him they'd help him become US president and a real billionaire just like them, if he followed their guidance (who knows?).
Krugman is spot on when he says that when Trump finally departs the scene, the very fact he even came to power will be on everyone's mind. Recovering that loss of confidence of our allies will require major changes to our system of elections, our media (what to do with the Foxes and Breitbarts), and in how the investor class treats the working class (not just throwing them away and ignoring their plight). The ultimate question is: what will our investor class do when Trump's craziness starts to seriously impact *their* wealth and power? Interesting times ahead.
21
Spot on, P. Krugman. Many Canadians winced when our PM's Harper and Mulroney misrepresented the Canadian ethos internationally, so we sort of 'get' that a Trump can happen on some level, but our American cousins and allies are being subjected to a new level of national embarrassment at the hands of this twit and his 'team' of obsequious dipstick advisors (minus Mattis). Even though he's more likely to resign (Mueller) than be successfully impeached, and he may even make it to end of term, we all have to stay focused on unity in the face of Russia's (and Trump's) malign efforts at undermining legitimate democracies and US democratic institutions. Don't lose the plot, America.
176
obsequious dipstick advisors
Love it! Good guy!
54
Larry Kudlow has been wrong on every economic prediction; it is seriously depressing to see him speaking on economic policies. It is obvious to someone who lived and worked in D.C. that qualified people are avoiding this tainted incompetent Administration. If you have a reputation for integrity and governing, legislative skills, you do not want to go near Trump, and the likes of Larry Kudlow. D.C. is a small town; pay attention to those who are not in the WH.
What a ridiculous partisan comment that reveals more about you than Mulroney. Mulroney was made a Companion of the Order of Oliver Tambo in Gold by South Africa. Here is the citation: "His exceptional contribution to the liberation movement of South Africa, his steadfast support for the release of Nelson Mandela and imposing sanctions on South Africa’s apartheid regime led to a free, democratic, non-sexist and non-racial South Africa." And here is the full statement: http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/national-orders/recipient/brian-mulroney. Mulroney was no doubt a controversial figure, though many of his more controversial reforms are nowadays enthusiastically supported by the Liberal Party that most loudly opposed them, e.g. tax reform, free trade, the GST (VAT), but to ignore what Nelson Mandela recognized is to fail to see the forest for the trees.
I can imagine G-7 continuing. Russia in. USA out.
Is this what people had in mind when they voted in protest of ... something?
30
"Debacle???????"
Votes baby votes. Trump just won himself and Republican cronies millions of votes in the next election.
Big tough American president, telling the world off? That's what his base wants to see.
Kind of like a white guy pillorying every other race and non-Christian religion on the planet.
Yeah! Wave the flag baby. Anyone taking a knee? Cut 'em off at the knees. This here's America. As long as you wave a flag and you're white, you can say and do anything you want. Yippee! Free to be free. Racism and hate are just free speech, right? Right...
Consequences? Allies turning cold shoulders? Who cares? Victory is acting tough. Consequences are for wimps (and anyway, by the time they really hit in affect, Trump will be long gone: either voted out or impeached). So what's the risk? None to fantasyholics. And that's what half our country, and pretty much the entirety of the Republican party is full of. Trump knows how to play them. He is. The world and our country will suffer and pay for the consequences. But...our people elected him. And many of our people remain adulatory regarding him. So? We deserve him.
113
"A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear. The traitor is the plague."
Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 B.C.) Roman Statesman, Philosopher and Orator, Attributed to a speech in the Roman Senate in 58 BC
311
Thank you, Lou. Spot-on quote. And we know the fate of those who refuse to learn from the past.
1
Exactly. We are the modern Roman empire and I challenge anyone to refute that
1
Wow, thanks for posting this.
We have the perfect Manchurian candidate. I am convinced of this - see: all the members of his circle entrenched with Russians, his fawning over Putin, and on and on. This is a truly frightening state of affairs. They put him in office, and are now reaping the benefits. God help us!
121
Muscovite Candidate perhaps.?
2
Putin's "Manchurian Candidate" is acting out according to plan to destroy the USA and the Western Alliances. Wait until you see his next stunt in Singapore. It will leave everyone except the Russians reeling with disbelief. Just watch.
68
Isn’t it refreashing that an American president stands up to our foreign enemies? Of course one is a little surprised that those enemies are Canadian rather than Russian but at least it’s easier to send troops to the Canadian border than it is to the Ukraine.
46
The US invaded Canada once before. It did not turn out so well for them then. I would not suggest it.
1
Ignorance and irrational oppositional behavior in national leadership is functionally as mailgnant as treason. Certainly the silence from the Republican power circles and its active support of White House incompetance is equally criminal.
90
Bravo!!!!
At the G7 meeting world leaders came together to discuss import issues. Donald Trump also attended.
90
If you replace " attended" with "krashed the party an left" it wll make sense.
I would suggest that we keep it simple. The psychopath's response is merely due to his hatred of others who are far smarter and are ethical, i.e., play by the rules. These people have always dismissed him as what he is - a con man and scoundrel. They know what he is. As such, he takes joy in torching them regardless of the consequences since the only person that matters is him.
Brace yourselves - a war is coming unless this person is stopped.
109
You are the first to mention war. I am afraid if Trump is re-elected a trade war will be the least of our worries.
1
Trump is what happens when a country’s elite mocks, dismisses, disregards, and financially squeezes half the population, and loathes any semblance of day-to-day morality.
They fight back the only way they know how — by electing a buffoon who at least will tell them their lives and values matter as much as those cocktail-swilling denizens of summertime in the Hamptons, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket.
Wake up and smell the cold brew.
30
Oh please, this was a backlash against a black man being elected. If it were the economy, we'd see a return to unionism, like the 30s, but instead there's a rise in racist and misogynist groups. These are people who disagree with equality and want to stop any social change in that direction.
1
Frank. That is not what happened. The truth is that Obama tried to support the deplorables but the rotten party sabotaged his efforts. Unfortunately, the deplorables didn't notice.
Would not use same words but you raise good point. Thing is Republicans devolved so much power to the states can the red state folk blame others?
words fail. each fresh disgrace just beats down the psyche of those who value sanity and sincerity.
one thinks of Tolkien's mad king alienating allies in the face impending attack.
37
What comes next? Dr. Krugman asks. Well, now we know. Trump's morning tweet tantrum calls Trudeau "weak and dishonest."
Trump, a serial liar who can't get anyone to do what he wants calls someone else weak and dishonest. Even his supporters are beginning to see Trup for the impotent scam artist he really is. Bigly.
50
The last guy who went on and on about "vast evils that don't exist" and led a powerful country, ended up starting a world war. Oh, and he also made a deal with the Russians which precipitated that war. Canada is a big country, but we are looking to our neighbor to the the south and seeing a bull in a china shop wreaking havoc.
42
This is what happens when you have an ignorant, unreliable person, who surrounds himself with same. What will happen in the coming months will no doubt determine the very essence of our country. The big question is, ah yes, how did he get elected and since he did, could it happen again?
31
And the Democrats are running around looking for their own billionaire Trump, being utterly bereft of ideas on how to gain public support while intensifying the grip of the oligarchic donor class on their party
3
Well, it looks like we've got ourselves a dictator.
56
I wonder how many of Trump's fervent supporters could locate Quebec on a map.
64
Forget Quebec- they probably couldn't even locate Canada!
4
Or Canada, even.
3
...or Canada.
3
Just like Trump called Trudeau weak just because Trump felt weak, he is calling out unfairness on milk prices before US farmers start feeling the real pain of the Trump policies on trade. Just like Trump called out Trudeau as very dishonest, Trump himself agreed to the G7 statement and then reneged in one of the most backstabbing and stunningly dishonest actions in our neighborly history. And what is more dishonest than going to the G7 summit and secretly representing Putin's interests? Outrageous! Trump has shown himself to be weak and very dishonest. VAT tax as a trade practice? He really thinks his base is stupid. They can all pretend to themselves that they are protecting farmers in the same way they did when they repealed the estate tax.
49
So much for our “Great Negotiator.” A toddler throwing a tantrum would have left a better impression. Mr Trump is an ineffective, petulant bully. Wake up Republicans and stop this train wreck.
65
I can only hope that the six adult leaders in the G7 know that Trump doesn’t speak for most of us.
40
How about rest of world
1
Duplicitous, pernicious, charlatan, ignoramus ~ the G6 assessment of our country's elected leader. Embarrassment is the least of our worries. America, this will not end well.
50
At what point does corporate America step in? Isn't it your fiduciary duty to protect your business, Tim Cook, Safra Catz, Satya Nadella, Jeff bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Ginni Rometty, et al?
Why are you standing silent as Demogogue45 -- pathetically masquerading as an expert on global trade -- alienates every country your business relies on, and jeopardizes your growth? Are you counting on Russia to compensate for lost market opportunities in China, Canada and Europe? Seriously?
Speak up, for God's sake. If only for the sake of your business and the employees that count on theur paychecks. Know that the old rules of respect and reverence for the Office of POTUS have been temporarily suspended. With a complicit Congress, you may be our last hope.
84
I used to think he was just a bloviating fool and a grifter, but more and more I believe he is treasonous, a mere puppet of Putin.
61
Someone needs to go ahead and release the Moscow hotel-room video so that Putin can’t continue to blackmail Trump with it. (Make it pay-per-view and the national debt would be eliminated.) Trump would no doubt find its release painful and embarrassing at first, but in the long run he would benefit from Putin’s trump card (so to speak) being plucked away. Putin knows judo and thus grasps the concept of using an opponent’s strength against him, and this would be the ultimate political-judo move.
In what world do supporters of this administration think they will be better off with open hostility to allies that have helped the US shape the world politically and economically? Russia and NK cannot be our sole partners and there is not enough trade within our borders to sustain us. The is imperial idiocy. America first will only lead to our end.
25
Trump hates multilateral agreements and meetings with groups of powerful people because he has much less leverage on a group than on a one to one basis. Without a sense of power or complete control over an opponent (and everyone is an opponent), he freaks out. The G-7 is a classic example of an insecure narcissist going off the rails.
54
To try to find meaning in what this raving lunatic is saying is like trying to make sense out of the Mad Hatter. Lewis Carroll couldn’t make a better fool than the real life Trump.
31
Your president and his cabal of sycophants and enablers live in their own information silo, which is bereft of truth, facts or knowledge. Instead it is filled with ideological fantasies that they hope will get them as many "likes" as possible in whatever social media experiment they think they've invented.
Had enough, America? Because the rest of the world has. Absent North Korea, Russia and possibly China. Oh - and throw that dictator in the Philippines for good measure.
49
Second to last paragraph: Bingo! He is so weak and intimidated by people that are his intellectual superiors that he throws up a smoke screen of nonsense to cover his inadequacies.
47
This is what a traitor does, he sells out his country for personal gain. In this case, it's most likely to be gain previously realized, and now payment to the Russians therefor. And the Republicans provide Trump with cover to do the things he does on behalf of the Russians. Despicable behavior beyond intelligent belief all around.
33
Putin has the record of every ruble that Trump laundered for the Russian kleptocrasy and so, owns Trump completely.
38
Before he even got there, we had a clear indication that this wasn’t going to go well as Trump lobbied for Putin’s return to the G7. Naturally he wasn’t going to get his way so a good tantrum was in order.
Trumps pro Putin leanings are cause for investigation and thankfully it appears Mueller and the FBI are running a tight, leak-free ship. Their reports should be interesting and I hope they are closing in on a release date.
But the ones that need to begin calling balls and strikes more honestly, the Congress members that cow toe to Trump, really need to begin to act more responsibly for the sake of our national soul. A little help from FOX wouldn’t hurt either.
20
This boorish, weak, cowardly and frightened man appears to be trying to make it impossible for even his own party to tolerate him in office. How convenient if, in advance of the conclusion of the Muller investigation, he were driven from office for the damage he is doing. Imagine the whining and cries of ‘unfair’ when the entire act was staged to save him.
20
Make Russia Great Again! That's what his orders seem to be.
26
Russia and China - "too many jobs lost in china".
1
"Whatever really happened, this was an utter, humiliating debacle. And we all know how Trump responds to humiliation. You really have to wonder what comes next. One thing’s for sure: it won’t be good."
Off he goes, in a really good mood, to Singapore, to deal with N Korea. It won't be good.
17
Brexit, Farage, Russian trolls and the anonymity of social media have fueled xenophobia and white 'Anglo-Saxon' nationalism. We live in strange times. Luckily our Executive has better functioning curbs on power. Trump is psychotic and a danger to us all.
26
Buffoon Trump will always despise going to these types of meetings. The reason is that almost all of the other attendees will be of an accepted social and intellectual stature far above what he will ever attain. Furthermore, these "elites" will naturally find him to be a boor--because he is. Trump started hating "elites" in New York City when he was never accepted into the upper echelons of that society because of his boorishness and braggadocio. They simply never invited him to the really good parties and dinners. He was effectively ostracized by that group because he just can't behave in polite company.
Let's face it, the man is a horrible jerk that got elected to the presidency. Worse is the fact that, by extension, the reasonable people in the rest of the world are considering all of us to be horrible jerks for ever allowing this to happen. Honor and integrity are disastrous when lost and can only be slowly reattained by much humble suffering and effort.
50
Trump pulls this psycho-warfare everywhere. It's how he got Cohen to be his personal slave: belittling him so he would then crawl back for approval from the master. That went on for decades. Yes, I know, it's deeply sickening, but it is the power game Trump plays.
He treats fellow Republicans like McConnell and Sessions the same way, and here he is doing it with the leaders of Europe and Canada, kicking them like abused dogs and then walking away.
But here is where Trump stupidly miscalculates: Republicans may be terrified of Trump's fanatically loyal base that could be turned against them, but the G6 leaders are not elected by those same local yokels, and as a collective economic power they are not inferior to the USA.
But where these intimidation tactics by Trump don't seem to be working at all - and he tries desperately every day - is on Mueller who remains as cool as an Eskimo sharpening his harpoons. Lots and lots of harpoons, each one crafted for a certain big whale.
55
Mr. Baker, I hope you are right about the harpoons.
1
What an embarrassment to our country to see the flaming fool fuming in the company of such cool-headed intellectuals who care about their countries but understand that no country is an island; all of us are part of the world. Merkel, Macron and Trudeau have tried to accommodate to Trump’s blustering aggression, but they have gotten nowhere. And this is how he treats our allies.
He clearly is in bed with Putin to the world’s detriment. I only hope that our allies realize that the majority of Americans do not support Trump.
33
Hopefully the last time he is in Canada.One good thing is he has made Canadians more proud to be Canadians.
32
Keep pretending that Trump is stupid, while our economy improves. Keeping other countries off balance in a trade negotiation is not a bad thing.
These are NOT "other countries", they're our ALLIES. Hint: Russia is NOT our ally, nor is NK.
As for our economy, much of what we're seeing now is not from Trump's policies.
30
Any country can boom their economy if you reduce taxes( mostly for the rich), build the budget deficits and national debt out of sight and reduce every logical safety or climate regulation.
Of course, those bills will take awhile to come due, but they will. We need to hold Trump and his buddies responsible now.
25
The pictures tell it all. A pouting, petulant Trump scowling at the other leaders of the world.
Disgusting. Send him back to kindergarten.
42
We are looking more like Rome in decline every day that Trump posts one Tweet after another. We have our own Republican Nero dancing his way into one world crisis after another. This deranged, delusional wanna be King needs to be removed one way or another. He is an absolute disaster. May Trump be shipped off to North Korea to live the rest of his days in verbal combat with Kim Jong Un.
26
He will forever be the "Liar in Chief of the United States of America". The founding fathers would be appalled.
20
If the economy goes south due to Trump's stupidity and vanity, the Democrats will have a better chance of taking the House and Senate. Stunts like this won't be good for Wall Street nor Main Street.
9
Unfortunately, the Republicans have rigged the game, setting job-destroying measures that won't go into effect until after 2018. Then they'll blame the Democrats.
Trump is a liar, coward, and so much worse. Trudeau is smarter, more honest, and more statesman-like than Trump could ever be. He spoke the truth about the way Trump insulted one of our closest allies.
The Canadians can be proud of their prime minister. I wish we Americans could feel the same way about our head of state.
Instead of standing with our allies, Trump is selling us out as he cozies up to tyrants who rule China, Russia, and now North Korea. Our allies are losing their patience; when will Republicans lose theirs?
33
Trump is a dangerous thug, motivated by a deadly combination of corruption, ignorance and ego. The failure of our checks and balances due to our spineless, inept and also corrupt Republican controlled congress will have serious consequences world wide for years to come. The sooner it ends, the sooner we can begin the difficult process of healing.
33
Trump displays all the guile of a TV game show host endeavoring to get the audience to the next commercial break. In public when he can command attention his actions resemble some made up presidential authority from TV and movies. When he cannot command attention or when he can easily be compared to leaders his true character becomes apparent for all to see, an offensive, ignorant oaf.
15
It's Biff (Back to the Future) and his mugs running the show. What a disgrace.
9
Maybe just maybe the media will wake up a smell the coffee. We should be asking: why is the President above the law? Why hasn't any of his henchmen actually gone to prison? Why are our politicians still allowed insider trading? What is and what does our so called "justice" department actually do other that promote racism and fill the pockets of those who own stock in our crimes against humanity prisons. We are the dumbest and most dangerous nation in the world who can no longer be depended upon. Boy oh boy are we stupid or what?
11
You have to wonder if this man is insane. Seriously.
20
No not insane. Beyond ignorant. Narcissistic and immature with an en extremely low level of intelligence. But he's not crazy..."insanity" actually gives this baffoon too much credit
1
"After all, he goes on and on about other vast evils that don’t exist, like a huge wave of violent crime committed by illegal immigrants (who then voted in the millions for Hillary Clinton)."
Very, very sloppy, Dr. Krugman. You should at the very least have added the word "supposedly" to the Hillary Clinton finishing line. You are assuming that any and all readers will know that Trump has manufactured the concept of an immigrant vote that favored Clinton. This is exactly how propaganda is perpetuated...through sloppy journalism.
6
Mueller needs to add a forensic psychiatrist to his team.
19
This president has been an absolute embarrassment for the United States.
The disgusting game show lunacy of the 2016 GOP primaries, collusion with enemies, unvarnished racism, corruption, nepotism, incompetence, delusions of grandeur, lies, tax evasion, sexual misconduct, threats, a complete disregard for the US Constitution.
We should go ahead and begin a wall of shame in opposition to Mt. Rushmore. A sewage plant would be a suitable location.
15
dear Koch brothers, dear Mr. Adelman, are you happy with your success? all you millions spent to topple common sense and common decency have brought us Donald Trump and the loss of American power, vision and intelligence. congratulations.
26
Where are the checks and balances?!?! Are there no patriots left in the R party? #historywilljudgeyou
40
What specific checks and balances are you talking about?
All of you who voted for third-party candidates because you couldn’t stomach Hillary Clinton…
36
I voted third party because I couldn't stomach either Hillary or Trump. If this is the best the two major political parties can do, it's time for some serious house-cleaning by both parties and a careful examination of core values.
4
Oh good grief enough! America wouldn't be in the 9th circle of hell with Hilary at the helm I don't care how much you didn't like her. It was your duty as an American to protect us and yourself from the dumpster fire that is Trump. Anyone who didn't think it would go down this way with him in charge really wasn't paying any attention at all. It is your fault. Own it.
2
The photo by the German government posted in the Times news story on this is classic. Our petulant pouter president surrounded by frustrated world leaders. He doesn't look strong. He looks like a fool.
54
From what I can tell from the picture, Trump is the only leader who needs to have his advisers close by( or maybe the advisers think they need to be close by to fix even more mistakes on his part). Bolton and Kudlow are there because Trump just goes with his gut reaction and not any thought out policies.
Talk about being”weak”.
1
Maybe they'll wise up and let Vlad come along next time. Trump could use a steely-eyed Russian chaperone.
2
The last world leader to claim he was "stabbed in the back" was Adolph Hitler another ever-the-victim victimizer of others. The similarity of one unstable autocrat with another is terrifying. Trashing ypur closest ally is the surest sign that you are 'weak" and lacking the mental stability to negotiate any deal nevermind one of such immense importance with the absolute lack of trust in your narcissistic insecurity. The world is now in the most dangerous place since the last such autocrat stabbed all the others around him in their backs setting the world on fire.
29
Godwin law or not, every day Trump behaves more and more like a little Hitler: racist, xenophobic, ignorant, vain and childish, demanding countries to surrender to his whims, or accusing them on bogus charges. A little Hitler ...with nukes. Yikes!
32
The presidency is a dreadful job. The relentless succession of one damned thing after another grinds down even the well organized, intellectually competent, energetic and experienced holders of the office. Trump has none of these attributes - he is an old man, unfit, intellectually incurious, surrounded by a court of sycophants competing for his ear and incapable of providing objective and realistic advice. Plus it is clear that he has having trouble with his wife and his rantings about the Russia probe suggest that he knows he has trouble coming at him. It may well be that the pressure of the job, the inability to even understand, never mind deal with the issues he faces, has made him lurch closer to insanity. Medical intervention is required.
40
I share Krugman's view on the Debacle in Quebec, but it seems that his 42% "base" will not see it this way.
The real question, then, is how to deal with the unreality bubble that his base lives in. As long as a media bubble exists (Fox, etc) to spin Trump's latest adventures then little will change. The institution of the GOP will not save us - the most principled senators and house members are departing as we speak.
22
Trump started with a call for readmitting Russia to the group, which makes no sense at all. The truth is that Russia, whose GDP is about the same size as Spain’s and quite a bit smaller than Brazil’s, was always a ringer in what was meant to be a group of major economies....
-- Paul Krugman
[ This is incorrect. Russia has the 6th largest national economy, quite a bit larger than that of Brazil which is 7th, while Spain is far smaller than Brazil.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2018/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr....
April 15, 2018
Gross Domestic Product based on purchasing-power-parity (PPP) valuation for Brazil, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Russia and United States, 2007-2018
5
Dear Nancy,
the value you refer to, GDP PPP, is used to measure how rich a country is internally, i.e. how much of its own goods and services it could buy. In this sense it is very self referential. The standard used to compare economies around the world is nominal GDP, which indicated how rich a country is on the world market. Dr. Krugman therefore is correct(naturally, as he knows all of this).
56
Much thanks, Gabriele, for providing much needed clarification.
Obviously, Paul Krugman understands that Russia is a very influential economic player. Of course the potential of the Russian economy is much greater than the potential of Spain or France. However, Russia does not borrow, but it enjoys high world prices, which are formed due to the fact that all countries borrow a lot. As a result of the absence of debts, in Russia absolutely insignificant banks, insurance companies and investment funds, and at the same time hypertrophied real sector of the economy from agriculture, extractive industries, production of goods, construction. Russia exports too much, and imports too little. This is the essence of the conflict between Russia and the West. Russia, too, must support banks, securities of high-tech companies and other drivers of world economic growth. Russia is obliged to stop referring to international financial organizations, banks and high-tech companies as financial bubbles. Economists all over the world know that their securities are slightly overvalued, but this is necessary because it stimulates the growth of the world economy. All governments bear a debt burden, but Russia avoids this in every possible way. This is not fair, as it creates competitive advantages for Russia.
1
I read a comment in another article by a software company official who claimed that New Zealand's VAT was unfair by "raising the price" of his flight simulation software. He wrote, "what do I get out of New Zealand's VAT?" I wonder how broad this type of thinking is among people? The fact that New Zealand charges a VAT to every producer can hardly be thought to place a special burden on suppliers from other countries. Plus, doesn't a functioning government, health care, education, roads, etc., make it possible for New Zealanders and companies to purchase products from anywhere?
23
"Plus, doesn't a functioning government, health care, education, roads, etc., make it possible for New Zealanders and companies to purchase products from anywhere?"
This is a great point. Once our middle class is completely hollowed out and people are worried about meeting basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter, I wonder how big the market for flight simulation software will be.
16
The VAT does not apply to production, but to consumption.
A producer pays VAT on the raw materials it buys from countries that have a VAT.
3
Not long ago I was having lunch with a friend who is originally from the Middle East. I was lamenting the fact that the US's reputation on the international front is ruined. He made an observation that helps keep me from complete despair.
He said that most countries and peoples like the United States and its people. Unlike the United States, they probably have experience with embarrassing and dangerous leaders, elected or otherwise. He maintained calmly that the international community would forgive us everything.......unless we elect him for a second term. If this happens, then the American people will be sending a clear message to the world that things have changed permanently and that we really aren't among the good guys anymore.
100
There are two main branches of protectionism, although they can become intertwined at times. The branch that epitomizes the fact that “protectionism is the progressivism of fools” explicitly rejects comparative advantage and asserts that American workers should not have to compete with workers in other countries. That would also mean that American firms would also be protected from competition in the domestic market. Senators Bernie Sanders and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) are examples of advocates for the “progressivism of fools” branch.
The other branch of protectionism focuses on what they perceive as unfair practices by other countries. In many cases, the “progressivism of fools” branch attempts to justify their proposals as retaliation to unfair practices by other countries, even if their arguments defy facts and logic. Many protectionists employ the tactics of both branches. President Trump is a prime example.
Gandhi was a great statesman but a horrible economist. Just as the ignorant argue that American workers who earn more should not have to compete with Chinese workers, Gandhi thought that Indian workers should not have to compete with American and European workers who have modern machines. As a result, India adopted protectionism. In 1947, the per capita income of India was similar to those of countries such South Korea. By 1977, the per capita income and standard of living in South Korea was many times that of India..."
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4164735
3
America lost its moral compass completely with the election of Trump. He is using the Office of President as a blunt force to reach some unclear goal, such as destabilization of the global order. Perhaps he, his family and wealthy cronies have already financially benefited from stock manipulation from his on, off, on-again tariffs. Whatever the motivation, he is imperiling the world’s economic interests and it will have serious negative consequence to the US.
Countries affected will retaliate no matter the financial damage to them. To not do so would make them complicit enablers of this joker’s sick and dangerous game. Reciprocal tariffs will hurt Americans, but perhaps more forceful measures will be applied.
The US earned the right to have its dollar represent the global currency. It has benefited, including lower interest rates and a high value currency that permits its citizens to purchase more from other countries. But, if the US and its full government will not stop Trump and his bizarre policies based on lies or ignorance, the rest of the world may need to look elsewhere to fill that role.
Could the US withstand that change? I have my doubts. With a $1 trillion plus annual deficit who would invest in America, except with extremely high interest rates. Apply those rates to the $21 trillion national debt www.debtclock.org and you will face serious economic problems.
It is time for Congress to involve itself in this madness and restrict Trump’s chaotic regime.
23
Good point, in all this insanity, follow the money. Trump says he wants to combat unfair trade with China, even though most of our steel comes from Canada. Perhaps damaging our trading relations will have the effect of weakening the sanctions against Russia.
"At the very least it will damage America’s reputation as a reliable ally for decades to come; even if Trump eventually departs the scene in disgrace, the fact that someone like him could come to power in the first place will always be in the back of everyone’s mind."
I am sure the European leaders were thinking back to the days when Bush was president and felt the republican party was only getting worse in their attitude about working with Europe i.e. Trump is somewhat of an anomaly but also a trend.
15
Yeah, this G7 debacle reminds me of how Bush told the world, "You are either with us or you are against us." It was chilling.
1
I bet Canada builds a wall before we even satisfy donny's design choice. His actual prepared speech reminded me of a pretty good seventh grader. But we saw the school yard bully was back when we heard him go off script, and so did the rest of the world.
11
I’m sure that one day we may need the support of all our allies who Mr Trump is currently disparaging. Whether it is supprt through military alliance - An attack on one is an attack on all - NATO or permission to over fly a friendly country in order to refuel our bomber force after 9/11.
By doing what he is currently doing to our allies, the next time we need their help, and we will, the answer may be a resounding NO!!
11
The worst President in the history of our once great nation never ceases to amaze me. I wish I could say that in a positive manner, but it's the complete reverse. The thought of him being president for 8 years is so scary.
12
Romney predicting trump win in 2020. I predict there will be no election because trump will declare government illegitimate, declare martial law & declare himself dictator or tsar or emperor. Problem solved for the republicans & democrats. No need to campaign & raise money.
5
It is somewhat understandable that Republican Partisans, especially those whose job is make laws in Congress, would accept that Mr. Trump is deconstructing the American political experiment but now they have to consider the eviscerating of the Old World Order that has brought a lot of prosperity and relative peace to the earth. Occasionally a Senator or Congressman will squawk when some ill-considered tweet steps on the livelihood of THEIR voters, jeopardizing their own rather cushy retirement. Do these Republicans value the future of the WORLD?
11
So much of the wealth generated in this country sits parked in obscure trust funds overseas where it cannot be taxed, and where it is protected in perpetuity. If the American economy where to fall to 3rd world status, the billionaire class would remain unfazed. They are wealthy enough to literally buy citizenship elsewhere. The Republican congressmen who do their bidding, and all the other Americans who vote Republican because they aspire to become uber rich themselves, are delusional. The billionaire class owes its allegiance to its own kind, which is the international elite. They are financially mobile and not aligned with any particular country, except as it serves their interests. Read Capital Without Borders.
4
What a really good idea, to negotiate a statement, agree to it, and then leave and back out, on the way to negotiating with North Korea.
It must have North Korea thinking of the US as a reliable counterparty.
/s
Seriously, though, I'm glad I learned the word "feckless" last week. I'm going to be using it a lot.
32
This all looks too scripted to me. It reminds me of Stephen Miller's response to Jim Acosta around requiring immigrants to have to speak English; he had his tirade already written.
They have to make it look like Canada deserves this trade war because they disrespected us. Sounds like a great strategy !
6
Why is there not any vehement outrage from congressional leadership? We are now governed by a mad dictator! Time for the military to declare this government dead? Should someone call for a constitutional convention? How much longer can this situation last?
25
Perhaps the United States will be Trump's next great bankruptcy?
24
George Orwell, in "1984," foresaw a future world divided into 3 intercontinental super-states, Oceania (British Commonwealth and US), Eurasia (Soviet Union and continental Europe), and Eastasia. The three wage perpetual war, including ever-changing alliances, over any unconquered territories and resources, doing so for propaganda purposes, to maintain control over their own populations, through ongoing xenophobia, lack, ignorance, terrorized hyper-patriotism, and a cult of personality. All that's necessary to see the 3 super-states forming today is to subtract the US from Oceania (with some changes to Eurasia and Eastasia as well) and add it to Russia, China, and yes, possibly North Korea. An alliance with North Korea makes sense in this context. Just don't assume it's peacemaking worth a Nobel Prize.
9
One thing about this clash/crisis that just occurred to me. Canada announced that we would impose retaliatory tariffs right after drumpf imposed his...ours with a starting date of July 1,2018 although most Canadians want them now. I can see waiting until after the G6 conference for obvious reasons. It goes to show of how little importance Canada is to them for trump's so called team to be unaware of this. Guess they really are in a bubble.
It is a different order of magnitude but when JFK was your president Jaquie Kennedy arrived in Ottawa in the middle of summer in a heavy fur coat! That was the source of mirth.
9
Why would a U.S. President head off to an economic summit and the last words uttered are circuitous whining about Russia:"Why are we having a meeting without Russia being in the meeting?" Russia should be...Why isn't Russia...Russia, Russia-Russia? Why are his foreign policy advisers mum on this stance?This shows how indebted (financially and politically) he is to Mother Russia and his fear of Putin is far greater than his fear of Mueller.
In-the-mean-time; an all out trade war with allies will reap financial pain to his ardent supporters who will be clueless- while still holding "Lock her up signs" and wearing MAGA dunce caps.
50
I'm sorry America, but your president is a blustering buffoon. Canada's PM is a bit of a lightweight, but compared to Trump he's Winston Churchill. Angela Merkel is Madame Curie plus Plato times Lincoln compared to Trump.
How do Americans stand by and allow their president to attack and defame the U.S.'s longtime allies while simultaneously singing the praises of Putin and Russia, who systematically interfered with the 2016 election? Do you not see how subversive this is?
And now the Narcissist in Chief is off to instill international legitimacy to North Korea's 3rd generation dictator. And Trump doesn't need to prepare - he will know in seconds whether the meeting will be fruitful. Are you people actually enthralled by this transparent con man?
55
We are NOT! And most of us offer our sincere apologies. We are not standing by. Many of us are actively engaged in making sure the midterm elections turn control of Congress to the Democrats so that someone in power will stand up to him.
We are all learning as we go. It's a constitutional crisis with no clear cut way forward.
35
No, we are not. He is obvious, immature, impulsive, stupid, and plain evil.
Had an office in Vancouver, BC once. Wish I could go back.
6
About one third of American voters think that Trump is an honest man. The unfortunate fact is that every single one of those voters is stupid.
Maybe a tape will come out of Trump saying what he really thinks about his supporters. He knows that most of them are idiots or he wouldn't lie to them so transparently, such as his preposterous claim that he wouldn't benefit from his tax plan.
10
Paul, this was an opportunity not to phone it in. Yes, there's more bad to come, more than we imagine. We knew that 500 days ago. Speculating won't get us anywhere. But it is easy!
What I find maddening is the media's ignorant fight-fight-fight description of international trade. Canada was nice; now they're fighting back. Trump claims they've been robbing our piggy bank Thus Stops Now. It's totally ridiculous. How is the American voter supposed to make sense of the nonsense?
Who pays tariffs? Buyers, of course! Does Walmart pay sales tax? But just try finding that observation among the plentiful stories of who's doing what to whom.
Similarly, the notion that a trade deficit with any one country is meaningful — let alone proof of unfairness, whatever that might mean — is utter specious nonsense. The president is entering into destructive policy for spurious reasons, if we can call them that. But the media only reports on what tariffs other countries might impose on their own people in "retaliation" for the harm we're doing to ourselves.
Please sprinkle some economic salt on the coverage. Your readers have ample access to political speculation, which too many reporters confuse with reporting. They could benefit from some quantification of the benefits to Nafta, say, and the prospective harm of unraveling the system of international trade the US has assembled since World War II.
12
45proves daily his temperamental unfitness for the office. I go from shock to numb thinking of the long range consequences. Our democratic republic is not working with this autocratic man and a House that will not check his actions. It is also more evident that Putin has a hold on him, shame on the non voters.
23
In Quebec, Trump attacked our allies and promoted our principal enemy, Russia. Now he confront Kim with his nuclear weapons and his million-man army ready to strike South Korea, Japan, and US bases. Hey, what could possibly go wrong?
19
I was planning a trip to Europe this summer. Before I go, I need to find someone who makes large stickers that I can put on my suitcase that say, "Don't Blame Me, I Voted for Hillary."
14
Was in Ireland a couple weeks ago. Was asked twice where I was from. America was met with a pause and so I said Massachusetts, so you can’t blame me. Both, a man and a women, said the same thing. “What is wrong with him?”
We know where Kudlow got the stab-in-the-back idea:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stab-in-the-back_myth
The stab-in-the-back myth was the notion, widely believed and promulgated in right-wing circles in Germany after 1918, that the German Army did not lose World War I on the battlefield but was instead betrayed by the civilians on the home front, especially the republicans who overthrew the monarchy in the German Revolution of 1918–19.
12
Rather than that sorry state of Russia, admit California into a new version of the G8. A far larger and relevant economy than Putin’s oligarchy. A democratic state with the world leading tech based economy!
21
Obviously, Obama orchestrated this whole thing:
*Put Trump in communication with Putin when, after serial bankruptcies, no organization in its right mind would loan Trump money
*Owning Trump and sensing Trump would do anything to preserve and enhance his own wealth and power, Putin stands Trump for office, telling Trump to “be himself”
*Predictably, when Trump wins and “is himself,” chaos ensues. He alienates anyone with a spine or ability to reason, insults “peers” (that’s a joke; Trump is a deplorable island unto himself), seeks to destroy any civilized steps forward of the last century
*After the country is crippled by Trump policies and deregulation and hostility, he is overthrown by a radicalized mob
*Seeking to restore hope, change, and dignity to the country, we beg Obama’s to take the reins
Or that would be Trump’s story
19
Stealing this! :-)
1
George Washington: “I cannot tell a lie. I chopped down that cherry tree.”
Donald Trump: “I cannot tell a lie. Obama chopped down that cherry tree.”
14
You don’t have to be a fan of “The Americans” to see Trump’s behavior as yet another ham-handed effort—worthy only of a tv show—by a Russian agent who’s going to crash sooner rather than later. And yet...there’s the possibility of a mental defect, this open, erratic embrace of Russia. Take your pick, America.
8
I wonder if Trump is setting a stage for declaring wonderful trade positions for China, North Korea, and, of course, little Russia.
30
You know, I'm beginning to wonder this myself. I think his intent was to disrupt the G7, no matter what. The question now is this: Since he has decided that Western democracy needs to be consigned to the dustbin of history, who will be our new allies? And why?
1
We are in the midst of a country-breaking presidency and Congress. I can understand the various possible reasons for Trump's behavior, but I don't understand the weak-kneed, insufferable enabling by the Republicans in Congress. Are they all so ignorant that they can't see what is going on? Do they approve of it? How can they justify ruining our nation to their constituents?
Mr. Krugman's analysis is frightening. If the Republicans in Congress don't wake up to this perversion, the nation may never recover.
Register and VOTE!!!
76
I guess this is phase 1 if the DT process of self destructioN.
Or pase III
Mueller, take your time.
4
The silence of Republicans in corporations, financial institutions and foreign leadership councils is deafening. In their silence we see fear of retaliation, or a nodding agreement that putting oneself first is really the goal. Retiring Congressman will be mirrored in the boardrooms as the cowards retreat to their gated communities in the sunny golfing climates. I say, let them wear their shame. Give them no peace, no satisfaction, no respect. Hey Rex, after-the-fact regrets earn nothing from the victims of your spineless self-satisfying failure to stand up for Americans.
13
He's our nation's drunk uncle, offering only his ignorance and biases as "solutions" to world problems.
We are beginning to pay the price for electing a fool as our president -- and Russia is beginning to gain the rewards of helping Trump get elected.
18
What is it going to take to get this man out of office? How much damage will he do in order for the Republicans figure out how to neuter him - and admit that they must neuter him?
18
PLEASE STOP! Wake-up?!?! Trump’s behavior was a response to Mueller getting another indictment and the possibility of Manafort’s bail agreement being revoked. He engages in outrageous behavior because he wants to control the news cycle and take attention away from Mueller and the Russia probe, even if it means destroying America. He needs and wants to save himself and his friends. He wants few Americans to know of Mueller’s successes and the media continues to help him. Stop letting him control the Fourth Estate.
74
Thank you, Kare. Thought I was the only one to see this before it even happened. Yes distraction!
This isn't just another Trump temper tantrum or tweet storm, this is Trump causing serious damage to our relationships with our allies, damage that may be irreparable. This needs to be reported.
3
Combining ignorance with both impulsive and immature can be dangerous in the wrong hands. And, it isn't just Trump. Look at Pompus and Bolton, dumb and dumber.
So, Canadians are avoiding American products, including vegetables. Mexico is imposing tariffs on some American products. Now Europeans can also impose taxes on Trump's properties, apply tariffs to imports, avoid travel to the US.
Does all this give Americans reason to fear traveling outside the US borders? I suspect so.
Question: Why would Kim agree to anything Trump or Bolton put forward given Trump's inability to hold anything in his head longer than 24 hours? Look for a very one sided agreement in Kim's favor so Trump can tout success to his Christian soldiers.
15
Kim has no intention of agreeing to anything related to nucs. He is simply taking advantage of our narcissist in chief to elevate his own status. DJ is being played like a fiddle on big stage, with lots of serious consequences.
2
Americans are very welcome to visit Canada AS ALWAYS. WE ARE A SAFE VALUE DESTINATION due to the low Canadian dollar which is apt to get cheaper due to the trade war. Yes there can be some gun violence in pockets but rare. We are very safe relative to the USA. Why would Canadians attack Americans. I hate Trump and trumpistes but so so many Americans. I am personally cordial to everyone who is cordial to me...like the vast majority of my fellow Canadians.
2
When America Was great, when "politician" was not a dirty word,
when kids went to school to learn..not to be shot, when the US was a haven for those longing to be free, when the nation was not devided into haters vs haters....way back before the GOP made a deal with the devil...Trump would have become an obscure footnote. Now that he has been empowered by weak, greedy adoring self serving dupes, he has managed to
shame, humiliate and weaken the one country that was looked upon as a beacon of hope.
61
Here we have another uncontrolled experiment.
6
Trump meets every unfair description of the ‘ugly American’ except in his case it’s true. There IS such a thing as the Ugly American with Trump; you could not create a worse stereotype if you tried. Add a new definition of International Bully into the pile and it’s a GOP endorsed monster of untold delusion and narcissism that is destroying alliances that have literally shed the blood of its sons and daughters in previous support of the USA. If you are an American, good luck traveling to Europe or Canada for your next holiday. This man is a pandemic to democracy and reason and trust. No one outside of America will ever look at you the same way again.
17
I disagree. I do not feel any hostility towards Americans, just Trump and anyone that would wear one of those stupid red hats.
Now, if that man were to be elected again, or even a significant bunch of Republican supporters next year, then American tourists daring to travel abroad will need to learn how to apologise faster than any Canadian ever could.
I wonder how much we would have to pay Singapore to keep Trump? I would kick in!
13
Me too and I am a Canadian.
1
You hit the nail on the head that Trump acts out when he's neither flattered nor bribed and is, in fact, the object of other national leaders' contempt. He is an embarrassment beyond compare.
12
Nothing Trudeau said after Trump’s departure from the G6 + 1 summit was new; Trudeau had expressed the same dissatisfaction regarding US tariffs more than once even publicly on Meet the Press. Trump suggests that Trudeau stabbed the US after he, Trump, had left the meeting. Well, that, too, is a figment of Trump’s fevered mind. In fact, it was Trump who once again proves himself a cowardly bully. Unless one has been in a cave the past few weeks, the US, if not the world, has been well-aware of Canada’s dismay, puzzlement and dissatisfaction over the US tariffs against its closest ally. It is only after Trump has left the summit and is in the air that he vents an unwarranted, undiplomatic and offensive screed (parroted by hysteric bootlickers Larry Kudlow and Peter Navarro) against Justin Trudeau. Is that the act of a brave leader. This is not the first time he has said one thing to world leaders and then another to his fan base. Your president is a dangerously infantile tweeter twit; some folks in the Republican party must develop backbone and either rein him in or, better yet, remove him so that he can seek psychiatric care.
24
trump turned his US back on the G6 1 when he came late (he had shorter distance to travel) & left before the whole thing was over. Why did he fly the longest route to Singapore? I mean he could have flown shorter distance over Pacific but that meant he would have had to see the destruction in Hawaii (one of the 50 states of US). Never hear from him on that but after all they are just a speck in a lot of water. They refueled in Greece. So what price do we pay for Greek fuel compared to refueling in Hawaii or US territory?
4
Frank, please ask your government to put sanctions on Trump business. Spread that idea to the rest of the G6. When his business tanks, he will resign.