Will someone point out to Trump that his Florida properties might be underwater soon?
Trump says that he is "willing" to meet with Iran's President, and "willing" to consider short term loans to Iran to help them through the "current financial difficulties they are experiencing". He is apparently incapable of connecting the dots between his idiotic withdrawal from a functioning plan to contain Iranian nuclear ambition and instituting of financial sanctions with Iran's "current financial difficulties," difficulties for which he, and he alone, is responsible. Why would any Iranian leader meet with him? How long would any "promise" of financial help by Trump have validity?
Of course, smart London bookies have long stopped taking bets on the most recent "word" of the man-child in the White House and how soon it will be before the "word" is watered down if not entirely eliminated by tweet after a rabid, post-Faux News chiding.
Where are Javanka? Why have Jared and Ivanka not attended the G7 as they have past big meetings? Will Ivanka have to move manufacturing her line of products out of China in compliance with her Daddy's order?
Never before in more than seven decades have I had to question whether to believe a president, but with this one, if he says it's dark out, I'll check first. It's impossible to know whether he really will meet with Iran, work on trade with China (and do anything better than we had with either one), etc. I yearn for November, 2020.
8
"would even be willing to support short-term loans to get Tehran through its current financial difficulties if talks open"
Trump would love to dangle them on a string of supposed dependency he could cut off at any moment.
The surprise would be if Iran made itself vulnerable to that. But that is all that Trump is offering here.
4
Rouhani just has to flatter him and the deal is back on.
4
Wow. He's just incredible isn't he? What a rock star? Not.
Everybody who has been watching this debacle of Trump's presidency knows that Trump made up the call from China. They didn't call. He said it was a call instead of something he read in a briefing memo. What does it hurt if he changes that into a phone call that the Chinese made wanting to talk to the big cheese burrito?
All the obfuscation of Trump's lackeys trying to hide the invented phone call was all too obvious. They really are a car of clowns.
Still more disheartening, the advice he now gets from the low lights left on the WH staff, advised him NOT to soften on his immature and childish "order" for all U.S. private companies to have nothing further to do with China. He has a glimmer of rationality in his "second thoughts" and his staff is so obsessed with him having to appear strong and tough they turned that inside out and made it that Trump wanted even higher tariffs. From this we can conclude that he no longer has any guardrails. The staff has drunk his kool aid so deep now they make him double down even when he has a glimmer that he shouldn't. It was totally adolescent, like a teenage boy breaking up with his girlfriend who tells all his friends to have nothing to do with her either! He wanted to walk that back, but his staff wouldn't let him even if it meant telling more fibs to the press and blaming the victim saying they "misinterpreted" what he said. Face it, he's a train wreck.
5
...and when one reads the statement quoted, “It’s got tremendous acreage.... so we can handle whatever happens.”, it’s clear that “we” does not refer to the U.S. Government, does not refer to Trump administration and does not refer to the White House Team. The lines blurred long before he took office, (remember the souvenir PR foto of Trump with his TT Indian Partners from Mumbai in his office at Trump Tower NY? POTUS and Head of Trump International are interchange able roles when there’s money to be made for personal gain. With Trump running the business of U.S. government as if it’s an extension of the Trump Organisation is anyone surprised that “we” means his for-personal-profit privately-owned business? More surprising than that is that nothing and no-one is stopping him.
2
can't we address our President as President Trump
1
You get the respect you earn. Trump is a disgrace to his office.
1
If you can say it with a straight face then sure!
2
Donald J. Trump look in the mirror. The real fake news is you!
4
Ok, let's go back to the "nuking" hurricanes issue. We had a chance to follow up and bring Iran into the "family of nations" we trade with and have relations with. Vietnam comes to mind at once.
Trump through out our participation in the nuclear agreement despite the fact that Iran was in full compliance with it. The funds released to Iran were impounded during the Iranian Revloution in 1979 which is forty years ago. They were not our funds despite what the right wingers want us to believe.
If, and only if, we had a responsible President, I'd say start the prep for a meeting. However, after seeing Trump throw our tax dollars away for "summits" with Kim with nothing accomplished makes this American skeptical of any further attempts of this kind.
5
@JWMathews - I guess, since I served in Viet Nam as a LRRP/Ranger, I have a different viewpoint on your analogy between our current policy with building up a country (Vietnam) we did so much damage too. Uncle Sam dropping the same poison on us and permanently on their ground too. Regarding your comparison and bringing Iran into our "family of nations", 'Vietnam' does not come to mind. Iran is running proxy wars throughout the Middle East. Vietnam never was interested in building nuclear weapons, to threaten America's closest allies in the Middle East. I actually don't see any relevance to that aspect of your post.
I might add, I agree everything else you wrote and hopefully this nightmare will end next November. So, I did give you my 'Recommend'.
Trump and the NY Times as well as other outlets do not have an accurate picture of the Iranian economy. Iran has a highly robust internal economy. It is suffering from inflation, but its infrastructure is solid and very strong. Iran can produce virtually everything it needs, including automobiles and weaponry, aside from some highly specialized technical equipment, such as airplane high-tolerance replacement parts, and certain pharmaceuticals (which are exempt from the trade sanctions). Visitors to Iran clearly report that there is very little overt evidence of "suffering." Trump does NOT have Iran over a barrel, and to assume the hype coming out of the White House is a drastic mistake.
2
I wish we could keep our Failure-in Chief at home. I know it's bad when he's here, but it is excruciatingly embarrassing when he is overseas. Seeing him stand next to world leaders makes me cringe, I just want to put my head in the sand until this man goes back to reality TV, if they'll have him. Please let this next 18 months pass without anymore damage and foolery
8
Donald J. Trump displayed at his ending G-7 summit news conference, that he is at best, Delusional! His ridiculous claim that he is the most environmental president ever because he has released more environmental statements than that of his predecessors was the kicker for me. Take your pick. He’s losing billions since he became president. Release your tax returns and prove it. Your a certified liar in chief. When Donald J. Trumps lips are moving, he is lying because he can’t keep his time lines straight. Worst president in American history hands down!
7
Why would Iran even bother. Trump broke an international agreement and flits around on Twitter like a bouncing wrecking ball.
I'm surprised that G7 meetings are even held while Trump is in office.
Can even qualify as a professional clown at a circus?
5
Ok, Trump is a buffoonish narcissist. Nothing new there. But why all the praise for the other G7 leaders? I mean what have they actually done? Merkel has alienated her electorate with her immigration policies, while Macron has alienated his with his tax policies.
1
@BD
They didn't alienate Iran by breaking an international agreement, though, DID they.
Did they?
No, they did not.
6
@Jbugko ... So what? What did they gain? An exclusive interview with the Iranian Foreign Minister? Yeah, maybe Macron can wave that one around at the Elysee. That'll impress " les gilets jaunes ".
Doesn't hurt to talk, but it will probably be a waste of time.
1
Iranians’ time. Anything that distracts Trump for some time is good for the rest of us.
1
Here is another replay:
Mr. Trump said that Chinese officials had reached out by telephone and that the two sides would soon restart trade talks, after the latest escalation in tariffs and his “order” to American companies to look for ways to pull out of China.
“We were called and we’re going to start very shortly to negotiate,” Mr. Trump said as he met with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt on the sidelines of the Group of 7 summit meeting in Biarritz, France. “We’ll see what happens, but I think we’re going to make a deal.”
As a result of this, the US stick markets are soaring again. And, if a pattern comes true, once the markets cross record territory, Trump will back track again, on China.
To the editors of The New York Times, it is time for this newspaper to investigate the Trump Administration for manipulation of the stock market. Since, January, 2018, there is an obvious pattern of market increases, hitting a record, and receding based upon actions by the Trump Administration. This pattern can no longer be ignored, or should be considered "normal economic factors".
10
Let's try to recap the G-7 Summit as it pertains to President Trump:
When it comes to trade deals with China, Trump claimed during a Monday interview that his team of trade negotiators had received a pair of “very good calls” from their Chinese counterparts over the weekend. Those calls, said Trump, indicated that the two sides finally understood each other and are “dealing on proper terms.” All this means that “we’re finally going to have a deal.” Unfortunately, China stated that there were no such calls and that China didn’t know what Trump was talking about.
When it comes to pulling American troops out of Afghanistan, Trump said there is “no rush.” Trump admitted that there was “no timeline” for reaching an agreement with the Taliban that would finally allow the U.S. to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. This is in spite of several proposed solutions that were agreed to by the Taliban and despite the fact that Trump ran for president on claims that he would bring the troops home immediately in 2016; then in 2017 said he would bring all troops home by 2018; and earlier this month said he would have all troops home by 2020. But at the G-7, Trump said there was “no rush.”
And when it comes to the climate crisis as the Amazon rain forest burns, Trump was a no-show - not attending that session.
But when it comes to where the G-7 will meet next year, a deal that benefits no one but himself, Trump is all in on that one -his National Doral golf resort outside Miami.
7
Why would the Iranians sit with Trump or trust us again? Rouhani and his weakened political faction are the closest thing we would get to a ‘moderate’ Islamic republic... if this falls through he has a LOT more to lose than Trump who is just craving the spotlight and publicity. Tehran will be hard pressed to accept and the Americans are not to be trusted.
Just wish someone would have asked about that "Climate Change meeting" he couldn't attend because he was meeting with two leaders... who just happened to be attending the climate meeting he couldn't attend...because he was meeting with them...at the same time...
Please report all the LIES fit to print.
6
I have to wonder if there is any point in even reading about 45's antics anymore. It's already inconceivable that I would vote for him next year. Might as well stick with the sports section and save the Rolaids money.
3
Abuse your friends, praise your enemies, deny, pivot, tweet.... Can no one rid us of this meddlesome, and dangerous, person.
129
@Kami Kata Why yes, the voters can do that in 2020.
15
@Kami Kata: all it take is for all us liberals to support the Democratic Candidate for President. Let us not make the mistake we made in the last election
21
@Kami Kata
The voters can. No one else.
12
If Trump goes into a meeting with the Iranians thinking that Iran is the "largest purveyor of terrorism", then, as my mother used to say, he's got another think coming.
Because of Donald J. Trump, the President of the United States of America, the G-7 meeting has been a great success. I agree that Russia needs to be brought back into the fold. And by the way, what do the wildfires in Brazil have to do with the G-7? Just a sideshow for the tree-huggers. I support the President. I support Trump. America first. MAGA! KAG! Thank you.
3
This is a wind up right?
9
@Southern Boy Ah here's the guy who claims advanced degrees in history doing a great job of displaying his abysmal ignorance.
News flash: the CSA is no more. And while it existed it was nothing but a treasonous attempt to defend slavery.
3
If this is success, please define abject failure.
6
20 M could kickstart a great contraception/family planning program in Brazil.
4
Why Brazil, when it's demand for cheap meat in the US that drives deforestation? People in places like Ventura CA are the main culprits in excess consumption of the world's resources and resulting climate change, loss of species, etc. Easier to blame the brown people than look in the mirror though...
2
Iran is clever and will use the vanity and inexperience of Trump to close a better deal than JCPOA, and chances are they will succeed. Part of me thinks that Netanyahu and MBS would be getting what they deserved if this happens!
The only deal that Trump could negotiate with Iran is the one he already cancelled.
Everyone in the State Dept. knows that. But has anyone told the naked emperor yet?
1
My hope is everyone recognizes since January 21, 2017, this has been world travel on the taxpayer's dime; nothing more.
1
Seriously? He gets out his DIVERT THE NEWS CYCLE DART BOARD. This time it landed on "meet with Iran." ........So Epstein, trillion dollar debt, and trade wars effect on consumer spending are lost in media thin air. ......No worry. The base, Billionaires, and AWOL GOP are content. .... So predictable. Stupid self serving action... then real media explains it... he blames and then walks back... get out the diversion dart board (... I know more about climate change than experts.... N. Korea and I can make peace, Smirking with Putin, Blame Obama, go back to where you came from, the wall...
I don't think he will talk to Iranians. His republican cronies, Mr. bolton and his friends in Saudi and Israel will not allow him to make peace with Iran. All of them are war mongers.
4
Trump ia desperately trying to get a Nobel Peace Prize, Just like President Obama. Trump thinks that if he hoves the N. Korea dictator and Putin; as well as all the other petty attempts such as personally meeting iwth the head of Iran the prize will be his.
Trump fails to realize he is not the USA. He needs staff such as the State Dept to lay the groundwork. He can not do it alone.
Poor USA and the rest of the world.
1
The further DJT is from Washington the more reasoned he sounds. Perhaps he has just not had time to listen to Fox 24/7. He should get out more! His style improves when he is amongst experienced leaders of substance with a broader world view ... if only he can improve the style of his home game....
1
He's "open", he "might" ... Puerto Rico is still waiting.
1
For the sake of the Iranian populace not their religiostic cryto-facist government, make an attempt at normalization. More to gain. Even if Trump coudn't negotiate a Dairy Barn or Greenland Purchase.
Trump is a bombastic buffoon. Easily the worst President in our history. I am reminded of the fable:the emperor wore no clothes. Although the emperor was naked, no one dared to tell him
2
I wonder if he has started reading the NY Times comments columns as I just looked at his facebook page and he seems to have reigned himself in, somewhat.
1
You have to hand it to Macron and the other leaders, they learn how to adapt. They have Trump's psychology in mind and know how to bring him into the soft and fuzzy place that he craves, and the only one where he becomes reasonable.
Unfortunately, when he returns to the U.S., he's going to be unsafe, again, and running scared, again.
33
It's about time, that all I can say. The overthrow of the Shah of Iran was 40 years ago! We patched things up with Germany and Japan after WWII in a few years. How long after the fall of Saigon did we become trading partners with Vietnam? If Trump were to actually engage in meaningful dialogue with Iran's leader, this would have the potential to pave the way toward a normalization of relations and possible even peace in the region. I've never been able to find anything positive to say about him, but in this instance I am with Trump! Now please, just do it!
3
The problem with Trump is that he is a liar, con man and crook. He wants to be friends with dictators because he envies them and he wants to be like them with a country that supports his every move especially when it comes to pocketing millions of dollars
He is not to be trusted.
3
@GMG
The same was said about North Korea. I guess Iran feels if Kim can do it so can they.
If Trump agrees to meet with Iran, it's to polish his own brand. He lacks the knowledge, temperament and skill to be an effective negotiator. Whatever he does, if he does it, will be a stunt.
Usually, knowledgeable and experienced diplomats would begin discussion with Iran, quietly, not to publicize themselves, as he will do, but to work toward resolving differences. But too many of those professionals have been pushed aside or quit.
It's sad that Americans become heartened by a story like this and don't ask the obvious question about Trump being unqualified to negotiate any of the difficult world problems we face.
5
Not to mention he is benefiting financially and enormously whilst lying to his base, who probably believe he lives paycheck to paycheck like they do.
3
This just in: Donald Trump, receiving backlash from the far right for saying that he was open to a meeting with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, claims that the Rouhani meeting he said he was open to was merely a meeting in which Trump would advise Rouhani in person that there would be no meeting between the two of them.
2
This is revolutionary. Only a president confident in his own abilities would meet with a representative of the Islamic Republic. It will be extremely interesting to see what develops from this meeting. President Macron also deserves credit for slyly engineering this diplomatic breakthrough.
3
It’s a bit early for breakthroughs.
1
@Vivien Hessel
Breakthroughs happen all the time. Prior to June 2018 no American President had sat down to face-to-face talks with a North Korean President. Then came the Singapore Summit of June 11 and now President Trump and Chairman Kim communicate regularly.
May I suggest that following this precedent it is not impossible to contemplate a meeting between President Trump and President Rouhani.
The Iranians will never meet with trump, and even if they do, will never trust his words. A single tweet the morning after such a meeting would negate anything they had agreed upon.
6
"President Trump said on Monday that he would be open to meeting with President Hassan Rouhani of Iran, and would even be willing to support short-term loans to get through Tehran through its current financial difficulties if talks open."
Did Trump say this because the last person he talked to before making the statement was Macron? Wait until the anti-Iranian Pompeo and war mongering Bolton get ahold of Trump and scream in his ear about not ever meeting with Rouhani.
Then will it be the usual dizzying, head-spinning Trump stomp and pivot dance?
Make a statement and stomp, pause, pivot; reverse the statement and stomp, pause, pivot, pause; have second thoughts, spin rapidly in place 3 times, and go back to the original statement.
We have seen this Trump stomp-and-pivot dance many times now.
6
Thank gosh the G7 leaders, minus Trump, are taking climate change seriously. Trump was probably off meeting with Putin somewhere instead of discussing that 20% of the world's oxygen is burning up in the Amazon. Great idea that Mr. Macron wants a meeting between Trump and the Iranian President but who knows if Trump will actually meet in the end.
1
Great! Lets forget the lessons President Obama's Administration taught us about the benefits of employing positive sum gaming in approaching dealings with difficult individuals or situations and lets continue to mindlessly criticize Trump et al even when he floats the possibility of meeting with the Iranians.
But in doing so, please lets not mistake our own self righteousness for any sort of half baked Progressivist integrity-Since I doubt whether, if a shooting war develops between our two countries, the families and loved ones of those who die in that sort of mindless conflict (on both sides) very likely won't consider our scant efforts to having prevented it in the first place as having been noble in the least.
1
Applaud DJT's "openness" but we've seen similar scenarios turn into dumpster fires time and time again.
1
Various TV news commentators are now nattering on about what Trump did and didn't say in his press conference. I heard nothing, zero, nada, just incoherent ramblings and bloviating. He didn't answer ONE question, not one! To me, that's the news story right there. It's not just embarrassing, it's concerning and frightening.
4
And yet they try to analyze the hidden messages of the gibberish that comes out of his mouth.
1
G6 until 2020.
2
In the meantime the Amzon is burning. Migrants on the southern border are suffering immnese cruelties. And the beat of multiple horrors keep intensifying.
2
Trying to get our Middle Eastern strategy right:
1. 2018: We pull out of the Iran nuclear accord, with Trump saying "it's the worst deal ever," even though Iran cannot build a nuclear weapon while the agreement is in place, improving Israel's security. Israel now faces the prospect of Iranian nuclear weapons being built on its doorstep.
2. Summer, 2019: Trump calls all Democrat Jews disloyal to the US and to Israel.
3. Today: Trump supports a meeting with the Iranian president, and offers to provide an economic package to Iran, which may or may not be tied to assurances about building nuclear weapons. "Iran has great potential," says the President of an oppressive regime.
Do I have this right? Or am taking crazy pills?
1
The late great Peter Sellers played him in Being There and was smarter although Trump's green thumb is legendary. On my bucket list I'd like to see Trump's portrayal of Sellers or Alec Baldwin on the great white way. (pun intended). Could Barry Obama run again?
1
If he goes through with this, it will just be like his meeting with Kim Jong Un. Lots of brash talk and sparring and no results. And what nickname will he assign to Rouhani?
1
Who would cut any kind of deal with this man?
Deceitful. Can’t possibly be looking out for the good of his people with the decisions he makes. Middle East troublemaker, flame-throwing instigator and worse. A consummate liar.
And the guy from Iran’s pretty bad too.
2
They say don't make Donny mad. He is such an insecure child.
2
@Greg "a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down."
1
Trump uses EVERY opportunity, even openly with world leaders, to attempt to trash President Obama. SHAME ON HIM!
2
G-7 will meet in the U.S. What Trump is going to do? Inviting his buddy Putin? Where the meeting going to be? Florida? Or his Trump Hotel in DC.?
1
Down 600 on a tweet. Up 200 on a tweet. Up down up down up down.
On the tweets of a financial imbecile.
At this point, I’m so much more interested in Trump’s Wall Street day-to-day dealings than his taxes.
3
"I'm gonna threaten you with tariffs just as soon as I get back to my Twitter account."
- Donald Trump
"Keep running up the deficit while you run off your mouth, and I'll call the US on its debt."
-Xi
"Yeh, well. Uh.... what debt."
- Donald Ignoramus Trump
1
I just watched Trump’s impromptu “press conference.” Anyone who still thinks that he is a rational or knowledgeable actor was visibly put to rest - once again. To call him “mentally ill” frankly is an insult to those who suffer from a mental illness. He is an ignorant sociopath whose con is being shredded by his own disingenuous banter and lack of impulse control.
He lied about calls to China, according to, yes, China; he flagrantly dismissed a meeting on Climate Change when the Amazon is on fire - a rain forest that produces 20% of the world’s oxygen - and then again lied about being in meetings with Merkel and Modi, both of whom were at the former climate meeting; and it just kept on going. Why give him front page coverage on an issue we all know he will back down on by tomorrow morning?
But more disturbing were the questions taken from a press who does not seem to have the backbone to call him out when he IS lying, except in print. If all the major networks continue to let this essentially evil demagogue suck up the last bits of oxygen we might have because of he is president with too much power, he must be called out on the spot for his lies.
Otherwise, the media is giving him free campaign spots riddled with deceit to a following both hypnotized and too uninformed to know the difference.
4
I’ve just finished a book describing Queen Victoria’s matchmaking efforts, which were actually a form of continental diplomacy. What struck me was that all — every one - of the monarchs and future monarchs knew full well that the German Kaiser, Victoria’s grandson, William, was an ass, and dangerous.
Queen Victoria was, however, the only one of them who knew how to handle him; she mollified him, flattered him, gave him the silent treatment when he went too far afield, but never, ever confronted him. She knew that to detonate William would be to detonate Europe. She made him do what she needed him to do, without him ever realizing that he was being expertly managed.
People forgot that lesson after she died. Rightly afraid of the Kaiser’s instability, paranoia and aggression, they forgot the lesson that Grandmama had tried to teach them: he’s psycho; you need to manipulate him - and whatever you do, don’t set him off.
Yes, the causes of WWI were manifold. Not managing the crazy Kaiser was only one of them. Yet I think that, after consulting with psychiatrists, diplomats and historians, the G7 is figuring out how to deal with our very own lunatic, Donald Trump. If the result is peace, not a World War, we can live with the gag-worthy stroking for the next year and a half. (But not longer — Trump must go.)
3
Prepare Rouhani to play our National Idiot like a cheap sorna.
1
Just for arranging this they should give Emmanuel Macron the Nobel Peace Prize, just like they have Hillary Clinton one.
Macron shines as a leader and diplomat at the G-7 meeting. Clearly, Macron took the initiative in his private lunch with Trump, and with the surprise inclusion of Iran's Foreign Minister at the meeting. The implication is a decline in American leadership and participation. Perhaps more detail will emerge in the coming days, but it appears that the status of the U.S. did not fare well at the G-7. Looking forward to more news and analysis of the outcomes of the G-7 meeting.
3
Iranians can never trust Americans anymore. Sorry but talking with Iranians is a wish Trump is taking to his grave. Trump can meet if shows good faith by lifting the sanctions. By the way, Zarif never is and was a hardliner but his experience over all these years of negotiation has now made him a hardliner.
4
Trump said a lot of things at his press conference. Me? I'm waiting 20 minutes after AF 1 takes off and then the president, feeling confident at 30000 feet, let's us know his real feelings. That's the height at which he displays his toughness. Not face to face like most leaders.
4
@Saints Fan And you're always welcome to come to Canada to fill up your water bottles with clean water.
1
This alleged willingness to meet is just another con. Trump wants to eliminate Irani oil from the world market to reward his wealthy buddies. Nothing more to this, no way Iran will agree, don't believe anything Trump says.
1
Dear Mr. Macron,
Thank you for continuing to believe in diplomacy by getting our POTUS together with Iran. However, when dealing with a helpless narcissistic head case now occupying the White House, try to remember: "When a toxic person can no longer control you, they will try to control how others see you."
1
Trump skips a meeting of world leaders on climate change "as a nod to his base." Trump is the symtom, his base is the problem. What reality do these folks live in? Deplorable.
1
Just a thought ... and perhaps as a worst-case scenario ... those who would wish us, the old US of A the most harm ... would they not, in advance of the 2020 elections ... do everything in their power to make our apprentice president look good ... so that he, their tool and our weakest link, remains in office for 4 more years ... to do more harm to our country and allies ... just saying ...
Trump won’t be able to control his impulse to insult Rouhani.
Forget about Trump, Mr. Macron could possibly turn out to be the Worlds Peacemaker.
A much more important leader than Trump.
3
Rouhani is wise in many ways, and knows to renounce any meeting with Trump. You don't reward a U.S. president that lies, that has no morals, doesn't have the confidence and faith of its own people and is untrustful. Iran remains a thorn in Trump's diplomacy because he has failed every time to force Iran to "bend the knee." They are the only country, next to China, that stands up and renounces the U.S. and is not intimidated by Trump's bully diplomacy. Can you imagine the trouble the U.S. would be in if the EU every discovered it had a spine?
2
BRAVO, Macron! BRAVO!
1
Macron should mind his own business. Europe just wants to do business with Iran because they need oil.
Sadly, the other 6 members of the G7 would be best served if they kicked the US to the curb until Trump is no longer president.. and be the G6.
Of course Trumps response would be to slap massive tariffs on the other 6 nations.
Won't happen.... because ... the other 6 nations actually understand inter-nation diplomacy, proper behavior, and have actual social skills and proper manners.
Perhaps it would be best for the president to withdraw from the G7 and form the G1. No worries that any world leader would disagree. AND, the yearly event could be at a trump golf course.
2
why is the NYT resorting to such feeble, almost respectful descriptions of Trump's constant contradicting and reversing himself? "Shifting tone"? "Pivoting"? In politics, "pivoting" is used when politicians change their positions as a tactic or strategy. It generally has at least a purposeful or intentional connotation; the politician knows what s/he is doing. When politicians change their positions constantly and without planning, they are usually referred to as "flip-floppers". There is no evidence that Trump has any idea what he is doing, and he'll say anything and then reverse himself five minutes later. Let's call this what it is: incessant flip-flopping. He rarely if ever actually means what he says, because what he says usually means nothing. What he says or tweets should be treated as anything other than what it is: nonsensical garbage.
4
I think I finally figured out how to divine what frump might be saying at any given moment. We just need to hold up his pronouncements to a fun-house mirror and reverse the meaning. If any.
If he says he will do something, that means he won't. If he says something Saturday, it will be the opposite on Sunday, and again the opposite of Sunday on Monday.
If he says something is wonderful, or name your favorite superlative-cliche, assume that it's about to fall apart. And if somebody is a good man, he's about to be fired. Firing is what he loves to do best, retro-lizard brain that he is, caught in the amber of his glory days on teevee.
If he says anything, assume the opposite and that even the opposite, too, is a lie.
The occasional "confafe" is a slip of his too-tiny thumbs, or "oranges" instead of "origins" or "Pleasure" instead of "Paradise," etc., etc., etc., we must disregard as the detritus of his increasing dementia.
I get it, finally. Not funny. Nothing but cringe-making mortifying. Thanks GOP. You have a lot to answer for.
3
"Macron Wants to Arrange Meeting Between Trump and Rouhani"
WHY?
So that we can see yet another example of how not to conduct international relations? How a five-star clown with a five point IQ can throw another wrench into world affairs through another extended hissy-fit?
The only way to end Herr Drumph's "Reign of Error" is to remove him from office. Either through impeachment - my preferred method - or at the voting booths - no matter how rigged they happen to be.
1
Trump is very adept at hornswoggling people.
Don't let him get away with it.
Always try to tell people the facts about whatever Trump is deceiving them about.
1
Macron can try to get Trump and Rouhani together but Democrats will never allow a deal with Iran that’s not Obama’s. Nothing else in the world matters to them than him.
Inflicting Trump on Rouhani? Who says the French are soft on Iran? Macron is taking the most hostile and aggressive act against Iran imaginable, short of actually bombing Tehran.
1
Israel's security depends on the Mullahs not getting their hands on Nukes -
And according to Israel the Obama agreement has been violated since day 0ne by Iran .
What’s the point? He changes his mind six times a day, trashes carefully negotiated agreements, insults the people he needs to negotiate with, makes absurd offers and empty threats. Our word as a country is useless. Everyone is just waiting him out and hoping he goes to jail where he and his cronies all belong. He’s a disgrace.
And so are the Republicans who put him there. Let’s remember them November 2020.
2
No disrespect intended, President Macron - but this is a fool's errand.
The main star was the absent Vladimir Putin, and Trump did not carry any plans to solve problems with China and Iran🤠
Forest Trump, and NOT in a good way.
Sad.
Would the wives be invited to Miami? Or is he proposing a stag party?
1
Trump will say yes, then he will say no, then his aides will say he was misunderstood, then Trump will say he was just being sarcastic, then he will call CNN and the NYT liars, then tomorrow there will be a new controversy to distract everyone from yesterday's.
3
It's pretty bad when all you get out of the G7 meeting is to congratulate the European leaders who babysat Trump so he didn't storm out of a meeting, didn't push any leaders out of the way or call people nasty names.
2
Trump attacking Obama about Ukraine while praising Putin at the same time is totally obscene in foreign country exposing Trump's ignorance and unfitness for the high office he holds. Trump ignoring climate change while the other members of the G7 was another display of Trump's ignorance of accepted science and his own pentagon's conclusions. Trump again demonstrating his fawning over Putin and Kim the dictators he sees as a role models for his rule over America that is as our first dictator allied with Putin. This policy is a spinoff of Bannon's wish to have Russia and USA lead the world in a white nationalist agenda.
1
I place absolutely no credibility in what Trump says. He has no idea what he is doing and he changes his mind (and/or completely forgets what he just said) with every breath.
He has SAID so much about N Korea, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Venezuela, Mexico, Iceland and Iran - with no continuity, no plan, no reason. This man is as dangerous as anyone can get - his lies are legend and he is clinically certifiable yet he remains in the WH. Why? Are Republicans THAT afraid of being voted out office for betraying their country? They will eventually pay the price of their arrogance and support of this sociopath and his globally-condemned actions.
I am outraged that this country is partially controlled (I would say "governed" if that truly applied) by a monolithic group of cowardly traitors who place self before country and who have abandoned their Constitutional duties and allegiance. We will all pay for their crime and we will pay terribly - even the ignorant supporters who vote for them.
2
It’s easy to see that this President doesn’t want to do any work. He starts his day just before noon, doesn’t read the PDBs, doesn’t listen to advice, only speaks in sound bites, and hasn’t even moved the needle on infrastructure, which was supposed to be his strong suit. I think vacationing and golfing are what he does best. (Well, cheating at golf, from what I’ve read. Imagine that.)
2
25th Amendment Now, Speaker Pelosi.
2
Our president is a disgrace.
Will he be capable of running the G7 next year? Marcon ran most of these sessions. Could Trump do the same? I am sure that it will be another shameful experience for this country only to be compounded if Trump invites Putin.
Feels more and more like the GOP is becoming the 'Groupies Of Putin'.
2
Thank God for Macron !!!
2
Get ready. Iran will end their nuclear program. Trump has a magic touch. Just ask North Korea.
The translator needs to alter the translation so it is diplomatic and what a diplomatic President of the United States of America should say. Trump should not be at the meeting as he has no tact; he should have a representative there who knows about trade negotiations - you know - like the professionals employed in his government departments who specialise in negotiations.
5
@CK--They are not "his" government departments. They are "our" government departments.
1
We got to take the opportunity to patch up with China and Iran on trade. Clearly we cannot agree on everything but trade matters should not be linked with other issues.Us is loosing billions in trade from all others where ever we have trade disputes. US public cannot afford this as world leaders.
3
The Amazon rain forest is on fire and Trump didn’t attend the meeting. But we have six heads of state and all they can come up with is 20 million? 3.3 million a country? I have a feeling that the G7 conference costs more then 20 million.
The other countries are all talk and no money. It is like the Paris climate change agreement. Let’s agree to have the US pay for it. There shouldn’t be any formal meetings of the G7 anymore. Do a conference call. No burning fossil fuels to have leaders do nothing.
3
@Jim
Why is it on fire? Do you know its because the farmers are burning the land to clear it? Not because of Global Warming, just plain old population growth and people clearing land to grow food on and raise their families. That's why its on fire, people are burning it down.
Will the host of next year's G-7 ever agree to pay for security around the country for his political rallies? As a 'successful businessman' who's filed for bankruptcy at least six times, I doubt it.
3
Macron is doing Pompeo's job by brokering a meeting between Rouhani and trump.
Essentially, if trump believed the Peace Agreement needed changing, this is where trump should have been on May 8, 2018, not pulling out of the Agreement.
We need an agreement with Iran and the U.S. should lift the sanctions reimposed by trump.
3
@LivingWithInterest
Macron isn't brokering anything. He knows as well as you should that Rouhani has no intention of ever meeting with Trump. Its all smoke and mirrors virtue signalling from Macron.
To mr Rouhani, all you have to do is tell Trump he is the greatest,smartest, best looking, most well spoken leader he has ever encountered. Trump will give him anything he wants.
4
For the first time in forty years the hard men of the Islamic Republic of Iran are being forced to directly address the substantive issues between them and the West. Zarif and Rohani are nobodies, the principals are Khamenei and his clique, and they are being forced to come to the negotiating table. This is huge and will have profound consequences. Credit to President Trump for doing what he promised and not appeasing sworn enemies of everything good and decent.
3
Trumph maybe partly responsible for the Amazon fires. They are clearing the land in anticipation of big orders from China for soybeans now that Trumph has pushed China away from buying American soybeans.
2
Serious question: if Trump unequivocally could never pass either the background check or the exam to be an entry-level agent for the State Department's foreign service, how can he qualify to be US president?
Thank you.
3
@Alex Cody Serious answer - because enough of the Electoral College - which is the entity that formally puts a president in office voted for him.
2
@Tim
Thanks, Tim. What I meant was, "How can our system permit a person to qualify for election when he or she can not qualify for an entry-level State Department job?"
@Alex Cody Thanks for the clarification.
The meeting proposal with Iran will last about as long as it takes for the Saudis and Israelis to call him and voice their displeasure.
Did he OK this with Jared and Ivanka?
Diplomatic meetings with rogue nations led by madmen are rarely fruitful. I don't think the Iranians should agree to negotiate.
2
"I think we're going to make a deal."
An hour passes.
"I'm doubling the tariffs."
The WH issues a statement, "The President was misquoted/misunderstood..."
Another hour passes.
"We're going to start very shortly to negotiate."
The president is either: without a strategy and making it up as he goes, completely baffled, or ill (physically and/or mentally). Or all of these. It's one thing to change your mind. It's another to no have one.
You can't take him at his word as his words have been proven to be empty and meaningless as he contradicts himself so much. Once you loose trust and can't take a person at their word then that trust can never be recovered. It's a waste of time him even being there, If you're dealing with Trump you need to get everything in writing because at the end of the day he'll just pull the rug out from under your feet and you'll fall flat on your face. Not to be trusted or believed going by the other international meetings he has had, especially the one with the North Korean leader - saying they had a beautiful friendship. A person in his position should choose his words carefully if he wants to be taken seriously and believed.
2
Can't wait for the flight back to D.C. and baby Trump denies everything he said at the G-7 and starts to blame Obama for the turbulence and the weather and whatever he gets in his head. I am sure there is a sight of relief from the other G 7 leaders that he did not have a collapse while there. But they made a big mistake not standing up to the bully because being gracious and not taking a firm stand on his many changing platforms will come to haunt them if he is re-elected.
1
What really struck me this morning was the image of the empty chair at the G7 climate session. I'm sure we'll see more of that as the election unfolds. An empty seat is the perfect metaphor for this President.
2
Note to President Macron:
If indeed the world can survive until November 2020, perhaps you can wait before attempting to schedule a meeting between Trump and anyone. Our president is fundamentally incapable of conducting foreign policy on behalf of the United States of America.
2
Watch for Trump to monetize the next G7 by holding it at one of his execrable gold resorts.
Trump has said that he plans to invite Putin to the next G7, contravening the wishes of other participants not to allow Putin back in. Watch the 2 of them try to bully Putin's way back in.
It's my hope that if Vladimir Putin sets foot in our country after working to throw our 2016 democratic election to Trump, we'll see more people in the streets demonstrating than even the furious outpouring of the women's march after Trump's inauguration.
1
If I were Rouhani, I would not even consider a meeting with Trump. It would be beneath the dignity of the Iranian nation. Just wait for someone with moral character.
2
Trump was a no-show for the G-7 workshop on the climate crisis. His spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, told reporters it was because of meetings he had with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, both of those leaders attended the session. Why can't the White House just say, "The guy doesn't believe in science and really doesn't care anyway." and be done with it?
This would be a dream come true, were it not for one thing: the always volatile Donald Trump and his penchant for saying one thing to please those around him in the moment (Macron) and another after his hardliner allies get his ear at home.
Of course, it begs the question of why he had to go it alone and rip up the Nuclear Deal all on his own, essentially having to start from scratch, but we know why that was!
1
A line of credit. Well, that fixes everything so let's move on! Say, how's that Middle East peace plan coming along? You know, the one where you give Israel everything and Palestine gets loans from other countries? This is the kind of genius negotiating tactics Trump employs, small payoff from someone else. But, Trump will precede any negotiation with some off-the-cuff insults and waffling proposals backed by nothing. And let's not forget the lingering air of dishonesty and ignorance. Yeah, this will go nowhere.
Exciting! Yet another unprepared-for-meeting like Trump with Kim that will show only the unwashed Trump "wants to talk peace" when Trump has 0 interest in diplomacy. and hasn't even the basic details down. The rest of us aren't biting. I say wait until late November 2020.
2
To be quite honest words are meaningless unless they are backed up with action. After seeing the way he acts with other leaders and the words he says are nothing but rubbish and meaningless because once he gets back to the safety of the USA and hides behind his twitter screen - off he goes on a rant and says exactly the opposite to what he said at whatever meeting. The meeting between Trump and North Korea is one example.
To be taken seriously you have to be CONSISTANT in what you say and do.
1
i believe the rest of the leaders will not take up trump's offer for ymaralago to be the next site for the meeting . it will make them look like they are cowering before trump. they have more dignity than that.
1) a complete waste of time, Trump has no interest in actually negotiating.... unless it is all for Trump and Iran caves on everything.... because this is the only kind of negotiation he has ever done in the decades of running the private Trump business.
2) Trump can and will lie about what was actually discussed if any such meeting takes place, and any reporting by the press that is contrary to what Trump lies are put forward will be declared fake news.
There should be a warning before any statement from Trump something like...the following statement is likely to contain a multitude of lies.
Don't you mean the G6.
If only Twitter Trump had not abandoned President Obama’s agreement with Iran. This President needs to be ousted ASAP.
1
The Trump Doral is in financial difficulties and contractors are still trying to collect for work they did.
He just can’t help himself.
22
We should welcome every positive possibility with an open arm, if possible. President Trump does not want any war with Iran if he can avoid it as it would run counter to what he promised the country.
President wants an acknowledgment from all that he has succeeded to get a better deal with Iran than what President Obama could wrest, even if it is only cosmetic. The only thing he needs is the ultimate accolade that it was he who got out with the best possible deal.
However, there is one snag though. How does anyone in the world convince Iran that (a) USA could be trusted again despite her record, and (b) Iran would still be safe after it renounces its nuke production? North Korean results so far reveal a different story.
6
@Sam Sengupta Like NAFTA, perhaps a name change to the Iran deal is all that's needed. The deal would basically be the same but the stable genius could gloat over the name change.
Maybe finally one good thing will come from Donald Trump. If he can de-escalate or end the nuclear standoff with Iran, the world will be better off. Also to help lower suffering of the average Iranian would be commendable. Let's look to improve the conditions of humans in this world - and not use past historical grievances to continue to inflict suffering on innocent people who live in countries we may not like.That strategy hasn't worked in decades.
3
@ABly The "nuclear standoff with Iran" was another self-inflicted crisis attributed to Trump and his zeal to rid history of anything Obama.
The EU stated Iran was in compliance with the agreement. So, who do we believe-a serial liar or more intelligent leaders in the EU? I opt for the latter.
@ABly Trump cannot de-escalate a food fight in the white house over a plate of donuts on a conference room table.
You honestly expect he can do any form of serious de-escalation in a US foreign policy context? Give me a break.
Our government once used to be able to bring varying foreign issues to the table and help resolve them diplomatically. Now, the electoral college president turns them into grade school fights with his uneducated opinions not only about the immediate issue, but also about the history behind such conflicts.
22
A few notes:
Why doesn't Trump smile? Does he really think scowling makes him look more presidential?
It must be very difficult for Trump to be in any setting where he has to listen to others. I'm beginning to feel sorry... not for him but those around him.
So, rumor has it he wants to host the next G7 at one of his resorts... Is anyone questioning how much he financially gains from using his own businesses to host events and people? Has there ever been a president making a personal profit from the office? Why aren't more questioning this?
Even with Trump's great and wonderful tax cuts for the wealthy, the US taxpayer is still footing the bill. When will this cease?
35
It will cease when he is voted out of office! This insanity needs to be stopped at the ballot box.
1
@franz fripplfrappl Some presidents have profited I would guess. Obama profited from book sales. And he was criticized rabidly by the conservatives.
Trump has handsomely rewarded himself through the lodging, food and beverage charges due to government personnel staying at his properties, yet, not one peep from the conservative talking heads on Fox "News".
2
He only smiles when posing with an infant who has lost both parents to gun violence, apparently.
1
This guy can’t decide what he wants. The only thing that is for sure is constant uncertainty that will whip saw the stock market. Great for short sellers and speculators, but horrible if you are trying to run an actual business. Xi is the enemy, but not as dangerous as our own fed chief, now Xi is a great leader who he spoke to and is back to making a deal . Except Xi denies the phone call. Is there any more proof that we need to invoke the 25th?
15
@Steve Here. Trump can't decide what he wants because he has no idea what he is doing. He is meeting with world leaders at the G7 conference who have significant experience in government and in dealing with global issues. They are making him look like the ignorant leader that he is. He tweets conflicting messages based on what the media reports, not on any actual belief or understanding of complex issues. The US is being represented by a man who is so over his head in his job that he doesn't even know he is drowning.
Trump's incoherent bungling in his attempts to negotiate needed reforms in China's behavior in trade and technology theft is likely sabotaging any future hope of achieving those reforms. At the very least he’s strengthening China's negotiating position.
16
@Robert O. One question-how did China steal trade, manufacturing, and technology when those companies willingly went to China?
11
@Dan
Exactly right Dan.
But the extreme talking points on both the right and the left are very much anti-China and the non-critical thinking average American will gobble up said talking points and gladly puke them back up all over the internet, free of charge and without verification.
World leader at G7:
Let us discuss the complexities of addressing the world’s most challenging issues given the current global geopolitical environment, the domestic needs and situations of the various developed and developing countries, and the potentially concerning populist trends within the borders of many nations.
Mr. Trump’s contribution to the discussion:
Me have the biggest brain, me have the bestest words, no one is as smartly and bigly brained as me; me the chosen one. Me and me and me...
26
It seems Macron is willing to take leadership of the free world in the absence of the US.
37
I hate to say it, but thank goodness! He seems to be the calm one next to Trump at the lunch table and in photo ops, saying, “There, there, it’s alright...”
Vive le president Macron!
1
@Anthony Macron? Leadership? Just ask the people wearing yellow vests.
1
He never answered the direct question about the next G7 in Miami.
The question was whether he (Trump businesses)would profit from the G 7 meeting.
18
@Whatever
The answer would be "Yes, why else do you think I'm willing to have the meeting there. And if you think I'm not gonna initiate some stiff price hikes in January, you don't know me very well."
11
@Whatever
No reason to answer the obvious.
I know many may say that it is a conspiracy theory or just being paranoid out of dislike for Trump and his incompetence but many of his constant changing of position and tweets clearly swings in the market. One of the things this clearly points to is insider trading making the Trump organization now run by his sons and others connected to him richer. No other president has ever shown such volatility in public statements about the economy and global trade should we not be surprised that the market responds accordingly. This explanation is surely as good as the one that Trump is just crazy (incompetent and maybe losing it but not crazy when it comes to trying to dig himself and his financial interests out of the debt we would certainly see if we had his tax returns). Trumps unheard of public criticism of the current Chair of the Federal Reserve also fits this same interpretation.
22
Yes, if the Fed lowered the interest rate like Trump is demanding, he stands to save millions.
Macron appears to be the peace maker with BREXT as well as with Iran too. Maybe even the go-between with China too. Russia needs to be allowed back in the club too, with conditions!
4
@Moe Macron has appeared, along with Chancellor Merkel and PM Trudeau, to be the adults in the room soothing a recalcitrant toddler.
I welcome Macron's leadership.
OK Trumpers, fire away and convince me Trump is as intelligent as those three leaders I named.
I do appreciate all the analyzing and detailing and commenting to Donald Trump every day, he creates headlines and therefore creates jobs. However, the truth is that the President of United States is not wearing a new clothe, he is naked. The country is lead by a mentally unstable person.
14
Rouhani can't make a deal with Trump, so a meeting would be window dressing for Iran.
5
@kwb And the Senate has to ratify treaties. What's your point? Trump met with Kim Jong Un, and nothing was accomplished. That's Trump's greatest accomplishment so far....NOTHING.
@kwb Trump may not want a deal that may be brokered by Macron-it will kill a yuuuuge talking point that he needs to feed the crowds at his hate rallies.
I watched the Press Briefing on Monday. I wept.
13
Nothing abnormal here, just a Democratic leader negotiating a diplomatic meeting between two autocrats. (Macron, Trump, Rouhani)
5
Trump states that he does not read or study history, and that he makes a decision from the "gut" in the moment. Well this explains why Trump has no idea who the US allies are or why internationally it is so important that the US and its allies act in concert. Coupled with the fact that Trump likes chaos we have an incompetent President without solutions who divides and creates chaos - no Communique from the G-7 in what almost 5 decades is just another example of Trump's inept international diplomacy.
12
Trump has made his way through life as a liar and a bully, and being on the world stage has not tempered him a bit. We have a president who has no clue about the demands of leadership, and no interest in serving his country. The lens through which he sees his presidency is simple: let's make a deal.
13
We have been represented by a pesident who the world considers as irrelevant. He skips the climate change meeting, is not invited to the talks with Iran and is rebuffed by Modi. At least the next G6 meeting will be held at a Trump property
7
Business people should not be a leader. They dont care about people or climate. Put scientists and critical thinkers in the White House.
10
@I have had it Critical thinkers only would be a plus over the chaotic mess we have now.
Since Trump was elected, I've referred to it as the G6.5, but after he skipped out on the climate change meeting and offered up one of his resorts as the next meeting place, let's just call it what it is - the G6.
12
Maybe holding the G7 meeting in Miami would be a good idea. It can be done during a NEAP tide to show the world the shape of things to come. Kinda first hand global warming issue.
6
Indian Hindu nationalists have made their play on Kashmir. Brazil is brazenly burning their forests down for ranchers and Bolsonaro gets mad because he is the target of blistering criticism. The US is involved in a pointless damaging economic war with Iran. The EUs economy is faltering. The British right wing got Brexit. China is Trump's favorite target. His trade war is a big winner in his mind. Hong Kong is challenging Xi and his bully boys. Climate change is becoming a major challenge. Trump walks into the presidency and all we get is bigoted ignorant braggadocio. His cronies are martinets for his particular brand of plutocracy.
4
Market manipulation much?
5
More arguments to impeach based on his shaming and dishonoring the office of American President.
1. How can he dare and/or be allowed to strongly disparage President Obama, a past U.S. and highly respected President? Esp as he praises putin in same sentence.
2. Emoluments - is he really suggesting the roachville Doral for the G-7?? What a nightmare, shameless, self-enriching statement - and it is full of undocumented immigrants we can be sure, ironically. That is Miami and they likely pay a higher tax rate than trump, ironically, again. He is ethically blind and ignorant.
3. Finally, again he seems to be working for the Russians not America - impeach, please impeach...and then vote out.
12
Macron embarrasses Trump, forcing him into meeting with Rouhani!
Priceless!
Perhaps there will be icing on the cake if Macron wins the Nobel Peace Prize for this?
15
@Paul-A
It won't seem so funny when Trump invites Putin, Kim and Xi to HIS G-7.
That WE will be paying for. At the most beautiful, scenic, perfect representation of the best America has to offer, the Miami Airport .
Generally speaking, by this time in office the wear and tear on a president shows. In Trump's case there is the makeup and hair coloring which tends to hide some of that. So, we must look elsewhere to determine how worn down he really is. For me, the best indicators are his statements and energy level.
Trump's rhetoric has never made sense to me, but in the last three weeks or so his statements are truly alarming--they have really taken a turn for the worse and are not likely to improve.
While there is no bright line between tired and exhausted, Trump looks borderline exhausted. There are so many photos in G7-type meetings where he simply looks lost.
Maybe it's wishful 25th Amendment thinking, my gut tells me something is cracking that can't manifest itself soon enough.
23
@John Looks lost? He is lost, lost in a world of intelligent leaders, leaders with courage and compassion. Leaders who care about our environment.
Trump is lost.
To anyone who doubts this country is being run by a profoundly sick individual, just watch this press conference. When I say sick, I mean, a HUGE case of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Contrasted against Macron, speaking in a second language, who was articulate and to the point, Trump provided his usual rambling nonsensical stream of consciousness as he fumbled to twist perceptions on the next Trump created disaster. Pathetic!
29
G7 leaders are afraid to confront trump because it might make him angry? This is no way to deal with a bully. Let him get angry. He'll just flail like an idiot and make a fool of himself. Besides they should appreciate who they are dealing with ... an un-indicted criminal with his ragtag motley crew of so-called expert and experienced advisors in tow ... dithering Pompeo, bombastic Bolton, amateur Kudlow, silver-tongued Mulvaney and corrupt Mnuchin ... a shameful pack of incompetents on full display before the G7 and the world. Totally appalling and pathetic!
22
Are you kidding me? The man is a laughing stock and a national embarassment.
In the future, any American who dares talk proudly about our country will be met with, "Shut up. Y'all elected Trump. You can't be taken seriously."
A pungent stain on our history.
27
@Michael Z
When the choice was between Hillary and Trump, I think we did just fine keeping the Clintons on the outside looking in.
1
@EGD - You're not thinking at all and that's the problem.
@EGD
Thank goodness the majority of Californians were smarter.
1
Xi has dismantled Trump comprehensively. Trump had a strong hand to play and with his usual stupidity mangled our opportunity to change trade relationship with China.
Next up: Trump kneels in front of Xi to beg him to buy US soybean and pork so Trump can win reelection next year.
6
Dragging Obama over coals again? Trump just said "Putin outsmarted Obama" several times. Called on this lie by reporter and still insisted "Obama was outsmarted"--Trump get over it-this isn't about Obama-enough with rodeo clown distraction tactics
19
@TWShe Said: Trump thinks that because Putin took Crimea under Obama's watch with no real pushback from Obama that Putin outsmarted him. Of course, it was the entire G7 which unanimously threw Putti out, not just Obama. I've never heard a current president speak so often, on and on, about a predecessor. Obama spoke a little about Bush and the economy that was inherited (and which he fixed) but Trump is obsessed with Obama. It's getting so very tiresome.
1
@TWShe Said Rodeo clowns are much more intelligent-they know when to dodge the bulls.
Trump skips the climate change session.
Supposedly someone from the U.S. attended, though whoever that person is will never speak to trump and any substantive report will never be posted or published.
This absentee president is comparable to an imaginary FDR dismissing Hitler's march through Europe as a joke...except climate change is a million times worse.
Is he impeachable yet, Nancy???
13
Pitiful example of a US president, lying and flip flopping, as well as ignoring our Constitution's emoluments clause. Voting blue is the only way to save our democratic republic.
16
Why does ANYONE even listen to this would-be king who is only a petty tyrant?
Unbelievable that he is still bringing nothing but trouble and chaos.
12
So awkward for Americans, for media reporting and for the leaders of countries around the globe.
The message is clear over and over, no one knows if Trump is lying. No one knows if he understands what he is talking about.
The overall consensus appears to be that he's a blustering dummy and hopefully he'll be out of office in 2020.
14
Trump's past behavior in office has lowered expectations to such an extent that even his mediocre, thoughtless, ineffectual performance can be considered praiseworthy.
Other world leaders now know that Trump, and the United States, can't be taken seriously in any matter of consequence.
Other G7 leaders are simply relieved if Trump doesn't collapse on the floor in a loud, whining, childish hissy fit accompanied by his moronic tweets.
Has it really come to this?
13
Someone figured out the trump lied about China calling, the market is down yet again today.
6
Jeepers, $20 million to fight the Amazon fire. They'll have to give up a crepe, a crumpet and a bratwurst to come up with that kind of shekels. It's only oxygen at stake.
6
@james Haynes You criticize the European leaders but say nothing about the US President refusing to attend the climate change meeting
7
@Wohl
Because we just take for granted Trump has no interest in the Amazon absent a potential golf course or hotel site.
Trump wants the next G7 meeting at the Doral so he can use taxpayer money to fix it up for the meeting. Wait and see.
13
Of course he skipped the climate meeting. Science-y stuff is icky. Big Mac break far more important.
12
The President of the US refuses to discuss climate change, the biggest threat to humanity.
I think this should have been your headline.
16
China has come out smelling like a rose, and as the main adult in the room.
While we have our crying spoiled baby babbling nonsense day to day.
America is definitely NOT "Great" with this madman at the helm, folks!
11
Trump has once again embarrassed us, in way over his head with the other leaders walking on eggshells around him in order not to infuriate him and cause a tantrum - which has happened before.
Surely someone could have persuaded the Iranian foreign minister to meet with Trump if both had been willing and Trump had put international security and world stability ahead of his personal battles and prejudices and chosen to act for the welfare of the world by courteously agreeing to listening to F.M. Zarif and discuss whether any agreement could be made or future civilized discussions could take place.
Trump's obstinance and selfishness were also in evidence in his ducking the meeting on climate change - this as the Amazon rain forest is on fire, which has terrified millions of people around the globe. Trump's insistence on sticking to his stupid prejudices and refusing to ever - ever - listen to the opinions (and facts ) of others and consider that he might be wrong - are at the root of everything wrong with his abysmal and tragic tenure.
Surrounded by other world leaders of intelligence and dignity
like Macron, Abe, Merkel and Trudeau, Trump is always diminished at these events, revealed as the small, vain and stupid man he is.
The next election can't come fast enough.
284
@fast/furious
I doubt Trump and Rouhani will meet. The Ayatollah has already said a meeting would be pointless. Besides, it wouldn't be a negotiation, just an opportunity for Trump, Bolton & Pompeo to present a list of demands--or else.
6
@fast/furious
Trump didn't embarrass ' us'.
Trump won 58% of the white European American voting majority in 2016.
Hillary won 92% of the black African American voting minority in 2016.
The other leaders weren't ' walking on eggshells '. They know Trump is a bloviating buffoon. They treated him like a skunk at their family picnic. They ignored and shunned him .
Unlike Israel. India and Pakistan, Iran is a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has no nuclear weapons.
Trump needs to be impeached and tried in the Senate.
13
Now Trump is blaming Obama for PUTIN’s takeover if Crimea.....
11
@Granny Franny If Obama had engaged in some type of military response and Putin responded in kind, what would Don the Con have said then?
This embarrassing debacle at the G-7 is what you get when you get enough voters that have nothing on their mind when entering the polling booth other than to say they want to "shake things up."
Folks, wise up.
When you vote the goal is to make well-informed choices for a functioning government that makes things better for everyone.
For those still struggling with this concept, let's make it easy for you.
In 2020, vote D, across the board.
11
Gee, I hope the 7 largest economies in the World can get together the $2.8 million dollars they each must provide to get that $20 million dollar Amazon Aid Package going and saving as much of the mighty Amazon from fire as they can.
$20 million? What a pitiful amount of money...the G7 certainly don't seem to be putting their money where their mouths are given such a small amount of aid between them.
I think Jeff Bezos earns that amount a day !
10
As always, the current White House occupant's bullying passive/aggressive style was on full display. His Twitter vilification of other leaders from the safety and security of his bedroom becomes total supplication when actually face-to-face with them.
7
Here we go again. We've had the "second thoughts" flip; we've had "No, his thoughts were to raise tariffs even higher" flop; and now we have had "For he's a jolly "great leader'" restoration of Chinese President Xi Jinping!" re-flip. And here you thought the Chinese were the masters of acrobatics!!
6
(46-1) "pivoted" on China to give his buddies a chance to reload before the next Bigly Short Sell.
More winning for the .01%, more losing for the average nobody with a retirement plan.
6
Everyone knows that appeasing Trump is one way to reason with him. It isn't their inability to stand their ground they recognize they are facing a petulant unrestrained President who emotionally pleads for praise or else one may become an enemy.
2
As the G6 comes to an end, Trump, like the unhinged hurricane he is, there’s another “huge” heap of economic, social, diplomatic and military debris left in his wake.
Under no circumstances should the country allow Trump to host the next “G6” in one of his “properties”. Worse yet, he keeps insisting on inviting Russia’ Putin and totally excusing his illegal invasion and “annexation” of Crimea and instead keeps blaming former President Obama.
The only transparent aspect of his performance at the Summit is hoe easy lying comes to him: he’s lying about China wanting to do a deal; he’s attacking Iran and, again, President Obama for Iran’s “unfair” nuclear deal.
9
"A meeting between American and Iranian leaders would be the first since the United States Embassy was stormed and American diplomats were taken hostage in 1979, resulting in a 444-day standoff and four decades of hostility."
Actually, the hostility began decades before 1979.
In 1953, Iran had a democratic parliament and its Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh moved to nationalise its oil industry from the Anglo-American. The US and Great Britain found this unacceptable and staged a coup.
The Shah of Iran was brought out of his ceremonial role, and ruled as a dictator effectively until 1979. What a lot of people don't know is that the Iranian Revolution was characterised by pro-democracy protests in its initial stages. There had already been widespread discontent due to soaring inflation and unemployment from 1976 onwards.
The Shah had spent billions purchasing the latest military hardware from the US and on legacy projects even as 50% of the Iranian populace remained illiterate. His CIA-backed secret police were known for gouging out the eyes of dissidents.
So the "decades of hostility" didn't really begin with the hostage crisis. (One should note that all diplomats were released unharmed)
History can't be undone but the US should really seize the initiative to ensure a good future relationship with the Iranian people. Macron has done well to take us this far. I hope Trump has the wisdom and foresight to make a meaningful change in US policy.
8
@Jack The Occupant is devoid of wisdom and foresight as he is and always has been unaware of such characteristics even existing.
4
@Jack
You forgot the history before 1953.
Us, UK, and Soviet forces occupied Iran during WWII and those Soviet forces didn’t withdraw from their occupation sectors until 1949.
In their place, after slaughtering any opponents, they left a vigorous communist party. That communist party was critical to Mossadegh’s parliamentary coalition and it was just a matter of time before the communists deposed Mossadegh himself.
The US/UK was not going to let the Soviets turn Iran into a Soviet client state and that’s why he was overthrown.
(Somehow Dems and so-called ‘progressives’ always leave out the background to the coup story.)
1
" it’s going to be a great thing for Iran. They have a great potential.”
So saith the emperor.
Such talk is an insult to the Iranian nation. The Iranian nation has thousands of years of experience, the USA a wobbly few hundred years. A insecure teenager bully tells this great grandfather you have great potential .... is you just take my advice.
10
Thank God that the G7 Members and their Allies agreed to an Intervention for the USA since they concluded that this country is considered “Too Big to Fail” by even some of our “Enemies”. It is obvious that Trump is attempting to run this Country using the same techniques that he used to run the Taj Mahal.Casino. and the World cannot afford for Our Country to go Bankrupt.
The G7 Countries are relatively new Democracies that have survived two World Wars that were fought on their soil. America was able to be involved in both Wars to help them save their Countries. Their Democracies have felt the devastation of the Wars which shaped their laws for all of the citizens that contain empathy such as;“Healthcare for all”, accepting Asylum Seekers, Gun Control, etc. Also they are still somewhat Honest about balancing their yearly budgets.
4
If your expectation is what happens when you take a 3 year old to a high stakes poker game, you shouldn't be disappointed. The person we sent to represent the United States folded on all moral and social issues.
11
Trump skips over everything like a stone.
He talks talks talks--absorbs nothing--Nothing
Theme Song?
Everybody's talking at me(Foreigners--shish)
I don't hear a word they're saying
Only the echoes of my mind
People stopping, staring
I can't see their faces
Only the shadows of their eyes
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Banking off of the northeast winds
Sailing on a summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
7
Sadly, no intelligent America is surprised by Trump's lack of interest in the G7, climate change or anything else that doesn't put him in a positive light. He has no business sitting at the table with world leaders who are actually concerned for health of the world. He only cares about himself, he lacks the ability to carry on intelligent conversations, and appears more clueless every day.
244
@Sharon Montagnino
Yes but 63 million Americans including 58% of the white voting majority made-up of 62% of white men and 54% of white women delivered Trump a meaningful Electoral College majority right to be POTUS in 2016.
Trump won Alaaka where Sarah Palin could see Russia from her house.
Trump didn't run a covert stealth subtle campaign. Every American knew who Donald Trump was and was not and voted accordingly.
7
@Blackmamba
The 2020 election will tell us whether "every American" really knew who Donald Trump was.
2
@Sharon Montagnino, @Blackmamba, @jsciort
Actually, the 2018 midterms told whether "every American" really knew who Donald Trump was and continues to be.
I agree with you about his cluelessness. He seems very close at times to running right off the rails -which may then be enough for the GOP congress members to step up and serve the country instead of the party. At least we can hope that would be the case.
The Congress must stop the flagrant corruption of the current occupant of the white house with regards to the absurd idea of hosting a G7 summit at the resort in Doral. Such blatant flaunting of the emoluments clause cannot go unchallenged.
9
Trump is now speaking at the G7. It is impossible to listen to him without rolling your eyes and trying to spin your head around, I can't begin to imagine what everyone at that meeting is thinking as Trump "answers" questions. Actually I can, and it is a world-wide nightmare.
8
Bolsenaro is right wing. Maduro is left wing. Both Brazil and Venezuela suffer severe environmental degradation. We only hear about one?
1
Any idea the number of false statements during the news conference?
4
Watching Macron pander to Trump at their joint press conference made me cringe.
5
With all other leaders pushing for a peaceful solution to the Iran situation, Donald Trump parrots Netanyahu's lines of Iranian support of "terrorism".
The Iranian government and the Iranian people support those who fight for justice. It is a basic principle in their religious beliefs. They need to respond to the "terrorist" claims of Trump and Netanyahu to set the record straight..
4
The U.S. must get itself involved in the fight to control climate change. Right now, saving the Amazon rain forest is critical. Is there anyway to go around Trump on such issues? Will we contribute to the fund the other G7 members set up? Are there ways the U.S. Congress could boost our involvement? The media tends to mostly report how bad it's all getting--let's have more talk about solutions.
6
As a resident of South Florida I look forward to our area hosting the next meeting of the leaders of the advanced economies of the world - as long as they consist only of the G6 leaders and not Mr. Trump.
13
Perhaps it could be explained to Trump that the only way to hold the G-7 summit at a Trump property without a huge conflict of interest and emoluments clause violation would be for Trump to no longer be President. He could resign and then let Pence determine if the Trump property is the best place to hold it. I am sure if it is that great an opportunity for the G-7 attendees Trump would not have to worry about Pence picking someplace else.
5
Modi has firmly shut the Kashmir topic once for all. Serious attempts must be made urgently to reduce global warming. This must be the first step. Other steps must be in improving lives by providing more than sufficient funds for education and overall health of people. As far as possible more employment opportunities must be provided in alternate source of energy by taking it up in large scale. Use of coal must be reduced drastically.
1
While it is vitally necessary to fight the Amazonian fires, it is highly regrettable that the international community is put into a position where it has to prop up the “Trump of the Tropics”, Jair Bolsonaro, because he reluctantly fails to protect the natural sanctity of his own land. The original Trump does abjectly the same further north. What greater act of betrayal can a head of state inflict on his country, and his people, than to destroy the environment shared by all?
Where will this age of toxic boorishness take us?
2
" $20 million aid package to help Brazil and its neighbors fight the fires raging in the Amazon rainforest"
That pitiful sum does not amount to little more than pocket lint amongst these millionaire and billionaires. It's been blatantly obvious for decades that some politicians worldwide which includes Trump have zero regard for the environment.
The solar panel was invented in 1954 and the US still uses fossil fuels.
12
All trade deals are basically shake hand good faith deals. Before we put all the blame on Trump, can anyone really trust China with what it says it will do like not stealing technology and violating copyrights? All countries do violate the spirit of these agreements and we let them exploit us for decades and Trump got frustrated and trying to do something. Journalists can and should criticize Trump but in the same breath point out violations by other countries.
1
The Amazon forest fire is the most serious thing facing us at the moment and he skips out and is AWOL. It is because he does not have the mental capacity to comprehend the real world outside of his own. Bi-partisan support for the 25th Amendment is needed. It is time to take seriously the twenty-seven (and counting) psychiatrists in the work "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump."
10
@1blueheron: Can the 'actings' vote? I tried to google it but didn't get very far with a definitive answer. Maybe that's why he loves all his 'actings', just as he loves his 'poorly educated'.
I’m not surprised that Trump missed the meeting on climate. Shortly after Trump was elected Al Gore met with him to talk about climate and described Trump as uneducable on the subject.
Not to defend Trump but we crossed 400ppm atmospheric CO2 before he was elected. We have deniers and delayers leading us over a cliff.
8
The media is falling for Trump's media gimmicks again and again. He offered nothing at this summit but he rambles on and on and the American press keeps on giving him TV time. CNN should reconsider their coverage. Let FOX News do all the coverage for Trump. He never has anything of substance to say. Look at the expressions on the faces of his "staff" sitting around him. That says it all.
5
The Chinese will never give him a deal. The Chinese have two characteristics: immense patience and stamina. President Trump thinks he's dealing with a New York plumber for a real estate project. When Trump is off the scene, they start negotiating with a serious president.
5
Yes!!Reduce poverty, lessen income inequality, help Africa disease problems, get clean water, stop fires etc.
These are always feel good agreements but a year later? guess what? No change ,no funds. Its fun to get your picture taken after announcing your good intentions but then its no fun writing the checks. They never follow through.
Thanks Macron for defending our planet and reminding us that there are still a few leaders left in this world.
9
Are the Trump coterie just doing futures hedge day trading? That is the only semi-rational explanation I can see for this hour-by-hour flip-flopping. Of course I might be searching for non-existent signs of rationality in King Lear & company.
1
He is now using a platform in a foreign country to promote his golf course , attack President Obama , lie about money that belonged to Iran and was repaid, then defend Russia and wants to invite them to the Group of 7 , justification being they are better in the Tent than out of it.
Has he forgotten Russia is in a much bigger Tent the G20.
Objective observers could not help being struck by the articulate , strategic answers by Macron compared to the adjective laden rantings from Trump .
7
American foreign policy is now directed towards the goal of enriching , and reelecting trump.
3
I'm sitting here reading the Times updates, and watching live coverage of the Macron/Trump news conference.
That one participant can speak so knowledgeably and eloquently of affairs of state, off the cuff, and in a foreign language, while his counterpart speaks at such length, in his native tongue, and says nothing.... Absolutely amazing!
6
I'd thought that the fact that Trump skipped the climate meeting would be bigger news.
2
Of course trump pivoted. He enjoys riling things up and watching people react = power. The trade war is his Coliseum.
4
Not to defend Trump at all, but we crossed 400ppm atmospheric CO2 well before he became president. And during Obama's watch the US became the world's largest producer of fossil fuels.
We have both deniers and delayers leading us over a cliff. Problem is that politicians are used to compromise, but you can't compromise with physics.
1
My question is, who would buy stock or invest in a company based on Trump's word about anything, much less something so vague as "talks will start" and "I think we're going to make a deal", which is all guff he's said just prior to having a meltdown and imposing tariffs and more. And not just about China.
3
Why is it that trump can not convince our allies of pretty much anything? I’d it because our allies (and pretty much the entire rest of the world) do not believe the same things the 35-40 percent of Americans who form Trump’s base believe?
8
All media needs to identify when Trump is acting as the single source for both sides of an issue. Trump's comments on the Trade War with China address what he said and what he says China said to him. I am tired of major media giving Trump the sole source responsibility for both sides of an issue. He becomes the media presence for all discussion and uses the opportunity to promote himself. And please make clear what the results are when an issue is addressed. The proposed deal with Japan only restores the US - Japan trade relationship to the level of all nations in the Trans Pacific Partnership which Trump retreated from. There was no gain from the delay except to humiliate Abe and take money away from American farmers and ranchers. Trump does not care about anyone but himself.
17
@Ray The article mentioned a response from the
Chinese government which, surprise, surprise did not agree with Trump's comments.
The fact is, the article did what you're asking for: it identified the sources of the "information".
Trump cultists believe everything he says regardless of any other information. The rest of us know he lies like a rug.
4
So Trump skipped the meeting on Climate Change, which is the most critical issue facing the planet. Oh, how I wish that in my own job I could ignore the meetings that don't interest me while keeping my title and continuing to collect my salary. But that is not the behavior of a professional.
On the other hand, the meeting likely progressed better in his absence, as he has nothing of value to contribute to any discussion on this topic. Which makes Trump doubly unprofessional, for not having the required knowledge on a subject of global importance that affects the ecosystems and the environment, food production, human migration and national security.
Someone remind me why he gets to remain in his position...
27
Trump repeatedly stated that we paid Iran huge sums to sign the nuclear treaty. My understanding is that the U.S. merely released Iranian assets that had been frozen.
It would be helpful if the press would clarify this issue.
38
@Granny Franny Agreed! This is indeed what happened, frozen assets released, not a penny of US taxpayer money involved and this does need to be clarified!
9
@Granny Franny
The press has clarified this issue a zillion times. Yes, Iranian assets that had been frozen by financial entities around the world were released; additionally, monies that Iran paid to the U.S. back in the 70s for military equipment, which had never been delivered, was released.
It’s clear that the truth does not fit Trump’s narrative, so he simply continues to repeat his lie.
11
@Granny Franny Your understanding is completely correct, as the Times has reported many, many times.
Sounds like you're wasting your time listening to
Trump. Let me save you some time: if Trump said it it's false.
7
So, now we are to believe that the view for a tariff resolution with China is optimistic? My only comment is that it is early in the day, early in the week and Xi isn't up for reelection next year.
15
I think the accompanying photo is hilarious. There is Trump talking and every one of the leaders of other governments are straining all their efforts to not look at Trump with horror and amazement at his stupidity.
31
In other news, the S+P is back to where it was in January of 2018.....even though Trump keeps braying about how great the market is.....
I was just on another financial site and the comments on thier articles are almost unanimous in the belief that Trump again has lied or stretched the truth bigly about "two calls"...
It's telling that so many people believe China's accounts of the "two calls"....
Someone else here wrote about the pending jet lag and tweet rages we will probably see later today and tomorrow.....about Europe, the G7's wardrobe and appearances, thier accents( maybe he can entertain Mnuchin and Bolton on the flight home with some impromptu imitations...)..
I was embarrassed.....Trump behaves like a spoiled two year old with a full diaper sitting in on the floor at a posh dinner party.....and everyone has to tip toe around him so he doesn't reach into his disgusting self made mess and start flinging it about the room..
Total embarrassment to the USA. How we ever sunk so low.
And did anyone notice that Trump HAD to bash a felllow American, Biden, in his rambling diatribes? Did any of the other G7 members crap on thier own citizens? NO matter what Trump thinks, that kind of behavior is disloyal to the US.
Trump is a disgrace.
The S+P is about where it was in January of 2018. I wish the press would hammer that home. Virtually NO progress in 19 months of the market. Press should compare that to Obama's record.
46
November 3, 2020
That's when the Criminal Trump Circus ends.
24
Here’s hoping. My worry is what happens between November 2020 and January 2021 if he’s defeated. Or worse..... what happens after November if he wins.
4
I’m praying for that to happen and I never pray!
3
Trump should have stayed home and played golf and ate cheeseburgers. He had nothing to offer but rambling bluster.
35
You have to admit that when it comes to knowledge of politics, world history, and finance, Donald Trump comes up way short. The man talks in tremendous generalizations, which, when you don’t know what you are talking about, you tend to do. His aids always have to re-interpret his public statements for this very reason; he is clueless. He has tapped into a large segment of the population that values such ignorance. That is not brilliance on Donald’s part, it’s stupidity on America’s part.
46
Trump really has no clue about anything. It's all seat of the pants. He spews whatever pops into his thoughts (and I use this word loosely). I have no doubt that every world leader sees him for the fool that he is. It's all grin and bear it because, nonetheless, he can impact their countries.
19
How much longer can we as American citizens tolerate these direct attacks against our democracy?
Conman trump has made this country a shameful hate filled place - and has made all of us regardless of your political beliefs less safe.
Vote my friends -no one who can say they really care about American and are patriots of our country can stand by and let this continue.
23
@Steven
Don’t you just love it when Democrats and so-called ‘progressives’ define who is or who is not a patriot?
@EGD Kinda hard to consider the meeting with Putin and an interpreter he provided and no other American present as innocent.
And, that was just the second hint. The first was the meeting with three Russian diplomats and their interpreter at the White House soon after the inauguration.
All other presidents, including republicans, have had interpreters who worked for the USG.
1
The best way to help the Amazon recover would be to impeach both Trump and Bolsanaro, tout suite, or amend the legal definitions of "Crimes against Humanity and Genocide".
21
Trump’s behavior at the G7 makes him look like a spinning top. Just another example that he is clueless and unwilling and intellectually unable to engage with our allies on a meaningful level.
22
Trump doesn't drink and I doubt he drives since he's been chauffeured from birth. But he acts like a drunk driver careening from one side of the road to the other. I know there are conspiracies that he tells his friends to buy or sell stock based on the tweet he's going to put out but I don't believe there's a method to this madness...only madness.
14
By doing nothing about climate change, Trump, Xi, and Putin are partners in crime and should be treated as such.
23
G7: Trump skips talks on climate crisis and Amazon fires
"Donald Trump did not attend Monday’s crucial discussion on climate and biodiversity at the G7 meeting of international leaders in Biarritz, missing talks on how to deal with the Amazon rainforest fires as well as new ways to cut carbon emissions."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/26/donald-trump-skips-g7-talks-on-climate-crisis-and-amazon-fires
Donald Trump and his climate change deniers are all stalwart members of the "Flat Earth Society", dedicated to wiping out science and future generations of humanity.
Insanity, thy name is Trump! What a profoundly ignorant, amoral, lazy, unscrupulous man we have as US President. What an embarrassment. What a tragedy.
19
I finally got it! Trump is moving to a late night comedian role from reality star. The sarcasm about the messiah complex was a joke, the A bomb nuke in the hurricane was a joke, using Mar A Largo as G7 was hilarious. Now I can enjoy my late night stand up comic Trump with each version of the morning news.
P.S. I am being sarcastic.
13
So another Trump-attended G7 summit meeting ends with everyone walking on egg shells around him and Trump falsely claiming that everyone got along just great. Fitting that this meeting took place in the city of Bizarritz.
14
So Trump went to the G7 summit, not to get anything done for the U.S. or the world - he notably skipped the climate change session - but merely to sell the G7 planners on holding their next meeting at his property in Miami. Good grief. I cannot wait to vote against this embarassing, venal, poor excuse for a man.
540
@Allison As one assistant said, if the meeting is not about him or its technical and complicated he leaves. We pay his airfare and meals and room.
84
@Allison Trump also asked that Russia be re-admitted to the G7. So acting on behalf of Russia and on behalf of his own business....that's pretty much a typical Trump day, no need to fly to France for that.
81
@Allison
Donald Trump went to the G-7 in order to have his tiny fragile ego stroked while not allowing himself to be confused with any factual details being discussed at the meeting that might enrage his ventriloquist master Vladimir Putin.
The last time some Americans voted against Donald Trump he ended up winning Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
The herd of Democrats running to replace Donnie in 2020 resemble the pack of Republican road kill from 2016.
13
It's getting increasingly difficult to offer cogent responses and commentary to such outright lunacy.
Trump evidently thought it was a good idea to detonate a nuclear bomb in the eye of a hurricane.
BUT, he can't commit US money and resources to fighting a fire in the Amazon.
13
Wow, $20 million to help stop the Amazon fires. That’ll help.
6
In his next statement, Trump will insist that it was his idea to invite Iran's foreign minister.
12
Of course Trump missed the climate meeting, he’s a climate change denier! And a science denier. And a democracy denier.
23
Trump rarely looks worse than when he’s at an international summit surrounded by actual politics leaders and diplomatic skills.
398
@Jeff Absolutely. His body language is the big tell and says it all. Trump, arms folded and hunched into an extended oblong of rage, looking down with a scowl. He knows most of the other leaders can run rings around him in every department. What's more he knows they know.
55
@Jeff And that says a lot considering how self-serving and incompetent those other politicians are. Individual #1 is really at the bottom of the barrel.
2
@Jeff, not to mention table manners.
Why is Donald Trump so interested in placating Vladimir Putin and bringing Russia back into a G8? This while he treats hour allies like garbage? I don't think we have to wonder if he's in bed with the Russians in some fashion or another - it's demonstrable.
16
It positively stuns me that Trumpists are able to get themselves to believe that there were begging phone calls from China, that there’s a deal on corn trade with Japan, that the only thing holding up the goofy USMCA is Nancy Pelosi, that our farmers are getting taken care of, that gazillions of manufacturing jobs have come back and coal mines are reopening, and that this G7 went great because either Everybody Loves Trump or they’re terrified of him.
Must be nice. I haven’t been that credulous since I was six or seven and started losing baby teeth.
24
Amazing that the leaders of the largest economic countries in the world treat the child in their midst like their leader.
Macron, Merkel, ought to be ashamed of themselves, bowing to a petulant child.
Where is their backbone?
Mr. Macron, you know Trump is going to bash you as soon as he leave the summit.
Appeasement, pure and simple.
103
Trump can do a lot of damage, like tariffs on cars or wine. It’s best to not upset him.
21
@J. Swift
I agree. They are "enabling" this President , as is our Congress. I literally could throw up.
23
@J. Swift
Nah, they're pretending for Captain Queeg's benefit while he's still here. They've also made it very clear WE the American voters need to fix this mess, and they're not waiting around.
54
While the environment should color every topic discussed at the summit, these “leaders” should also be closely looking at—and planning for—automation, and how it will affect global markets.
37
Not that they should ignore it, but automation is hardly a new topic. I remember 60 years ago musical comic Allen Sherman(?) had a song about automation. Now artificial intelligence would be a deserving topic.
5
@Andre Hoogeveen, While I agree with your first statement on the environment, much of the rest of the developed world, the US and perhaps Britain excepted, has a more robust and progressive income tax system to somewhat mitigate the effects of automation. They also have less income inequality due those higher tax rates. Some are even moving towards minimum income policies.
2
So Donald Trump did not attend the meeting that was set to meet the concerns with climate change and the fires raging in the Amazon. One saving grace to that is that at least we didn't have to see him sitting there scowling with his arms folded, mainly due to his lack of understanding and short attention span.
18
Much as I appreciate the commitment of world leaders to avert a disaster in the Amazon, if Brazil’s leader chooses to destroy forests and cultivate land for profit, what power can world leaders exert to stop him? Can they stop America First Trump if he approves oil drilling that could pollute the Arctic or our oceans?
9
@ReggieM Brazil is not by itself a money rich country. There has always been a lot of foreign investment, including in manufacturing, agriculture, and mining.
Its government has always had problems with corruption, including at the very top. As Charles DeGaul said many years ago: "Brazil is the country of the future...and, it always wil be."
1
Multiple countries pledged $20 million.
The price of a typical “McMansion” is $1 million.
This is not even pocket change at the governmental/global level, where Billions or Trillions mean something.
Those leaders pledged to buy lunch for a few forest firefighters at best.
This meeting, at best, probably was seen by trump as a waste of time.
Don’t think those other leaders pledged big bucks for the fires. Their $20 million was less than a drop in the bucket for the fires.
5
@ABC123
And Trump's contribution was what, other than the possibility of a clogged toilet in the executive washroom.
This question has been asked repeatedly, and really needs to be pursued further: who is benefiting from the crazy market gyrations every time Trump makes another proclamation?
It definitely isn’t anyone’s 401k that’s for sure.
8
One of the lessons my father's intervention made clear to me was that the non-alcoholic members of the family will bend themselves like pretzels in order to accommodate the afflicted personality. Everyone's lives get turned upside down, in an attempt at normalcy, while the elephant in the room remains clueless as to his destructive behavior. It's human nature to gloss over problems rather than confront them but it leads to the kind of "Theater of the Absurd" where important people, who have achieved their own levels of greatness, walk on eggshells trying not to disturb the disturbed person. When I read that that was the overall dynamic I wondered whether this was a G7 meeting or an Al-anon one.
9
Who wouldn't want to be on the Chinese side when negotiating this one? Desperate for a trade deal that he can wave in front of everyone's face, and that he also believes will help re-elect him, could Donald Trump be in any more of a weakened and vulnerable position? Sweaty and panicked, and that's just his hair.
9
Brazilian government: i) has an environmental secretary determined to wipe out every regulations of land use in the entire country; ii) has fired the director of Brazilian national institute of space research (inpe) accusing him without any proof of conspiracy with environmental protections NGA after he released data showing the dramatic growth of fires in the amazon forest; iii) has deauthorized officers of the Brazilian institute of the environment (ibama) and reverted fines applied to people destroying the forest; iv) has deliberately ignored criminals that set fire on ibama public trucks; v) mocked Germany and Norway government after they threatened to cut money to help preserve the amazon forest, saying that they should use the money to reforest Germany and stop killing whales; vi) has lied about this problem from the beginning (saying that there was no fire, then claimed that environmental protections NGA set fire on the forest to attack his government). Give money to this government to help preserve the forest seems like trying to dry ice in a very hot day. The smart thing to do is to threaten to boycott Brazilian crops and animal proteins, the mere mention of that by Macron made him back down over the weekend. This news of more money to protect the forest will embolden the government; the president is already making fun of Macron saying his pathetic move was rejected.
9
This is the first time in living memory when the American people and world stock markets have felt duty bound to reward an American President for acting like a normal human being for even a small part of a day.
4
You really want to minimize Amazon rainforest devastation? Make Brazil foot the bill so they understand the cost of their destructive policies. Oh, and boycott Brazilian beef and agricultural products. Giving financial assistance to Brazil for this is just an indirect way to subsidize further destruction.
5
When Trump says "China wants to return to trade talks" you can pretty much bet your IRA that the opposite is true.
China has the measure of Trump and his advisers and is letting them dance at the end of the noose they fashioned for themselves.
This also illustrates the absolute imbecility of the stock market "professionals" that leap to buy or sell on his utterances. What becomes material is the possibility of intentional market manipulation by the President.
8
So several of the largest economies in the world pass the hat for Brazil and collect an overwhelming $20 million? And, of course, while this is going on, the largest economy (and largest leader) is walking around somewhere else looking for a place to put a golf course! “I say, we must act quickly, the planet is burning. Yes, if we don’t do something by 1987, we’re in trouble”. We’re toast...no really, we’re toast!
2
Trump says China called and most Americans don't believe him and we actually have to go and fact check him with the Chinese- who don't tell the truth much either but at least they aren't expected to.
In the real world, truth and credibility are important
7
I fail to understand how a group of adults can accomplish anything when they have a child in the room who's constantly whining.
3
@BTO trump's not a child...he is a dithering old man.
1
One of the most important forests on the planet is burning and they're willing to spend just $20 million to save it? How sad.
88
Indeed. The U.S. spends far more than $20 million on just ONE of their new fighter jets.
13
how sad trump couldn't bother to even show up.
7
I like the way the NY Times presents the news, as if anything Trump said was significant in any way to anyone, but if any one of these world leaders actually believed Trump for even one second, I would have to go to the hospital from coronary shock.
32
Why, in every photo of Trump, is he talking? Trump is talking, talking, talking, and it’s usually all nonsense. My father always theorized—because you had two ears and just one mouth—that that was a subtle hint from God that you should listen at least twice as much as you talked. Trump is far from taking the hint. Trump also missed the wisdom from Mark Twain: It is better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
153
@Jay Sames I think that Churchill had the maxim that, if one has nothing to say, don't speak. Not that he was averse to talking more than he should have at times. But, at least at those times, he had something coherent to say and, as far as I know, he did not flip-flop.
7
@Jay Sames: You are right! When one is the smartest person in the universe, everyone else bows down to your incredible intellect. Or it is that the other world leaders were brought up to act with restraint and politeness.
7
@Jay Sames
Thank you. I had exactly the same response...his mouth is always open in photographs unless it's pursued in resentful disagreement. The latter is distressingly rare by comparison to the former.
Every day the influence of the United States is diminished by this clown. Having a seat at the table is meaningless if all others hear is white noise which they filter out.
8
China called? Uh huh. Gonna call back too, just like that guy in high school said he would. I just wish more voters in this country could see Trump the way the G7 - and China! - sees him. Can't wait to see what the jet lag causes once he gets home. No stamina.
62
@Vanessa Hall: Just wait until he gets on the plane and starts his cowardly tweeting mean things about all the grown-ups he had to mix with.
15
Can we just agree that the man is completely out of his element in all things pertaining to world politics and anything pertaining to things other than golf.
He knows nothing about climate change other than to deny it; cannot be a mediator as he has no ability to speak like a grown up nor does he have the mental faculty to understand what is going on around the world. He is a fool.
118
@Margo Channing
Trump knows nothing, except how to get votes.
Contrast this with the Dems, who have really good policies on just about everything, but has no idea how to message.
6
@Margo: He's pretty much out of his element on the golf course too.
10
I understand that he is terrible at golf too.
9
#DavidDennison is a No-Clue Reactor in meltdown mode spewing toxic waste around the world, and should be decommissioned immediately.
14
it seems to me that the whole world is on hold till this man is gone...
84
This weekend pretty much summarizers the entire Trump presidency:
Trump spews lies.
Trump spews thoughtless ideas, then has "second thoughts." (an oxymoron)
Trump's enablers lie in order to try to make it look like Trump didn't lie.
Trump spurns our allies, but kisses up to Russia.
Trump ignores important issues that our country (and planet) face); he's too busy having imaginary meetings with people who were actually at the real meetings.
Trump promotes his own business interests.
The leaders of other countries play him as a fool. (Nice move Macron!)
Trump makes himself look like an idiot.
Trump complains that the media, our allies, and the rest of the world are out to get him by making him look bad.
Wash, rinse, repeat....
96
@Paul-A
I wish we could wash, wash trump out of our lives and our government.
6
You mean the resort that is failing financially. you mean that one??? If the G7 goes along with this I will scream!!!!
33
@Hummingbird7008
Why doesn't the CONGRESS scream?!?!??!?!
8
I don’t believe anything Trump says and cringe at his “representation” of the US at G7. It is sad that the other leaders must treat Trump as a massive toddler instead of a peer. It is useless because he will no doubt rage tweet about all of them on his return flight. I hate to say this as an American but the G6 leaders should decline to attend the US-hosted meeting in 2020 and meet elsewhere sans Trump.
43
So the world leaders wind up acting like second rate babysitters attempting to subdue our petulant two year old in chief instead of putting him in his place: a virtual bedroom time out, for the remainder of his term. Why is the remainder of the industrialized world's leaders afraid of this guy? I would hope that our military is aware that any order coming from this man would be taken with a huge amount of salt before any action be taken.
27
20 million for the fires in Brazil doesn't seem like much. But couple that with the hundreds of thousands of rakes president trump plans on sending, it just might be enough.
34
Trump made a multi-billion dollar trade deal with Japan at the G7. Curiously you failed to report on that in this article.
@XLER agreement just reached in principle, nothing signed yet.
4
@XLER According to Japans PM they have a ways to go before any deal is finalized.
7
@XLER
Nothing is finalized. Right now, it is just talk. Nothing with Trump counts until it is finalized.
Except with Trump supporters, who all believe that the wall is built and Mexico paid for it.
9
When will we have journalists who have quantitative skills?
The title says that the G-7 group is going to give $20 M Brazil and surrounding countries (and there are a bunch of them) for fighting Amazon fires.
US $20 M is a lot of money for most of us. However, the GDP of Brazil alone for last year was 2.056 trillion USD. Twenty two million is like giving a candy to an elephant. Too little, too insignificant and simply ridiculous. The reporting makes this gesture to be meaningful and impactful. Not so.
Sad.
12
@Appu Nair This article made no comment whatsoever about the meaning or impact of $20,000,000. It simply stated the number.
The few sane world leaders have a steep hill to climb. Meanwhile, I'm not sure everyone realizes just what a catastrophe the Amazon fires are. Last night the BBC explained that Maduro had encouraged people to burn down the forest there (have a look at the map; the Amazon River basic in huuge!) to make farms. He realizes his mistake now.
I've been trying to hold the idea of "tipping points" at arm's length, but burning down the world's rainforests (it's not just the Amazon) is easy and profitable in the short term, and catastrophic in consequence. And as always, the workers barely get subsistence while the owners salt away millions, if not billions.
We humans are descending with the encouragement of the likes of Trump, Boris Johnson, Bolsonaro, and many others to a more primitive might makes right kind of stupidity.
I'm not sure we will survive, but I do hope that some of us will stop eating lies for breakfast, lunch and dinner about the rapidly wilding climate and climate injustice. So easy to lose, and impossible to restore.
What a shame!
24
Maduro is Boliva, sorry left that out. Let me repeat an encouragement to look at a map. Here's a link; good in-depth article about how big this is.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/04/three-million-acres-brazil-rainforest-lost/
1
$20 million is all the G7 countries combined could come up with?
Huh.
Well, you gotta love Trump's entourage out spreading rumors about Macron like little sparrows to distract from the fact that Trump can accomplish absolutely nothing.
The world's self proclaimed "greatest negotiator" has to result to whispering behind someone's back to try and get anything positive done. Next they'll write dirty comments on the bathroom walls about the other leaders to start some juicy G7 gossip and see if that gets anyone to cooperate.
Sad.
12
“President Trump, who was holding meetings with other leaders, did not attend th[e G7 climate] session, according to Mr. Macron.”
Disgraceful. Can’t say shocking anymore, with this President.
But it is shocking, and disgraceful, that the DNC refuses to hold a Democratic debate on climate change. The DNC has proven itself to be run by utter incompetents, year after year.
16
They’re trying to win the election and throw the bum out, not hand you general info that you should have already.
5
@Kevin
Why? None of Trump's supporters believe in climate change.
And the DNC has demonstrated a multi-generational mastery of incompetency. I vote straight Dem because I understand policy, but, boy they are lousy messengers.
1
@gratis
Because climate change it is the greatest existential crisis for life on life since a meteor hit the Yucatan peninsula 60 million years ago. And what does the DNC think takes precedence? Lining up the democratic candidates and asking them straight yeah/nay Republican gotcha questions, like should asylum seekers get free healthcare, or should crossing the border be decriminalized. Ridiculous.
As for the Trump supporters, they may be starting the feel the effects of climate change with the yearly thousand year floods, the tornados, the hurricanes and the fires. They will believe soon enough. Southerners supported FDR’s programs once they got hungry enough. They will believe in climate change eventually, one way or another.
And oh yeah, it’s the right thing to do.
$20 million? Since 2007, Norway has dumped $4 billion into Brazil to protect the rain forest. And now this. $20 million won't buy a handful of firehoses...
31
Trump, once again absent on one of the most critical issues of the day. There’s no money in it for him or his family, and frankly, he really doesn’t care.
51
$20 million sounds like a nice figure, but when Notre Dame burned, there were pledges of nearly one BILLION euros overnight. Aren't the "Lungs of the Planet" a bit more important? Maybe if there were some landmark churches endangered in the Amazon, the European leaders would find a way to cough up more money?
31
Here's it what the president is unable to do: Articulate complete sentences and convince anyone but his fans that he has any idea what he is doing. I believe the tariffs are an enormous scheme to short sell the stock market for his and cronies personal profit, a scheme perhaps launched by Mnuchin, and put the last of the large family farms out of business so Monsanto can swoop in and buy them. He learned much from putin and Bannon on how to destroy a democracy for the benefit and profit of the wealthy. the thought that he is publicly pushing his own property for the G7 next year is revolting. I have had enough. The 25th.
36
Once again the stock markets convulse over comments from Mr. Trump. In any other world he would be branded a market manipulator. My personal opinion is that he gets a kick out of being able to do it. Let's reduce this man's place in the news. There are other things to report.
17
You can't believe a word Trump says. And now the Chinese are saying there were no phone calls. It's pretty sad when one puts more stock in a communist country's statement over the president of the U.S.
37
Each day, Donald Trump causes to stock market to gyrate up and down. On Friday, President Xi is an enemy. Today he is a great leader. Anyone who believes that Trump does not communicate these personally induced stock market fluctuations in advance to his "blind trust" is the only truly sightless party in this ongoing criminal conspiracy.
14
@Joseph
Anyone who believes this liar when he promised he wouldn't touch Social Security of Medicare better wake up.
That's what he will go after next if he's re-elected and becomes a "lame duck".
8
I really appreciate the decision by Macron to invite Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif to the G7 summit. It reflects his conviction and principled outlook.
All the Iranians want is access to the global economy after decades of sanctions. Iran had agreed with 6 world powers (including the US) under the JCPOA deal to place curbs on the amount of uranium it could enrich to weapons grade - effectively curtailing the development of any nuclear device. It also agreed to open its reactors to all IAEA inspectors.
Iran has adhered to all its obligations under the deal even as the US unilaterally withdrew from it and slammed sanctions.
Even as the Trump administration deployed an extra supercarrier filled with F-35s to the Persian Gulf (imagine the Iranian Navy in the Gulf of Mexico!) and ratcheted up the war rhetoric, Iran made clear it sought no conflict.
Thankfully, common sense has prevailed on the UK, France and Germany - all of which intend to preserve the JCPOA deal.
Regional stability aside, I hope the US can atone for historical wrongs toward the Iranian people such as overthrowing Iran's democratic government in a 1953 coup and installing the Shah as a dictator. Or nurturing the Shah's feared secret police - the SAVAK - between 1953 and 1979. I would think the collective suffering of tens of millions outweighs the suffering of a few American diplomats, who although were detained illegally, were all eventually released unharmed.
40
I want to thank the leaders of the G7 who see the urgency of helping Brazil deal with the Amazon fires.
Shame on Trump for not being there to lend our support.
What a disgrace.
145
@Panthiest
That "disgrace" part is what makes him so attractive to Conservatives. Conservatives only want America First, no matter how much it ruins our country. The idea is to ruin the rest of the world worse. Conservatives, gotta luv 'em.
14
@Panthiest
If Trump had been there.. he would have just derailed the discussions... because.. that is exactly what he does.. always, all the time, unless the discussion is about his "chosenness" or "genius".
We need to financially penalize Brazil for setting the fires and the agribusiness that profit from burning the rainforests. If we don't, they will not have an incentive to stop doing it and the cycle will just continue.
17
@Rachel Robinson
Right. Send them a bill, just like the bill Donald is sending to Mexico for the wall.
That should take care of it.
(Snark)
5
I’ve stayed at the Doral (which is not Mar A Largo in Palm Beach) which I found distinctly mediocre and which is located in the miasma surrounding Miami International Airport.
Trump’s attempt to promote the Doral as his personal property for the site for next year’s G7 is both more proof of his avarice at the Nation’s expense, and another Rorschach test his minions will again fail.
78
Such a childish lie--Trump saying he knew the Iran Foreign Minister was coming.
48
When Trump was a child, I wonder if his mother ever read him the story of the boy who cried "trade deal"?
30
@Htb She should’ve read him the German tales of Strewelpeter. There are lots of similarities btwn Donald and the wretched children in those stories.
3
Strange negotiation.
10
The man without a clue is simply behaving like he has NO clue.
52
Our country has hundreds of truly magnificent locations for meetings and events. Part of hosting a G-7 is to show the world your best.
So instead of the Pacific Coast or any of our national parks or forests, our elegant Southern cities or one of our Midwest heartland cities on a Great Lake -- Chicago, Utah, Yosemite,San Francisco, Jackson Hole, the Texas Hill Country -- he picks a cheesy golf resort (gold PLATED faucets, no doubt) next to one of the world's worst airports. The nightmare of all these planes at that crowded mess will be . . . Perfect Trump. Low class.
253
@kathyinct Indeed! And it seems like a huge conflict of interest to host the G-7 at one of his resorts. Hope that is disinformation yet if not, warrants an ethics investigation. Each and every day, DJT brings us to a new low.
70
@kathyinct
Please don't offer Jackson Hole up as a location, we don't want Trump here polluting our beautiful landscape with his presence.
12
@kathyinct please don’t offer Jackson Hole up as a location, we don’t want Trump here polluting our beautiful landscape with his presence.
I am happy that one of the takeaways is that there will be a plan to help Brasil during this terrible time. And an acknowledgement that climate change is real and the Earth's future is at stake.
I am not happy that Trump skipped the meeting. Putting US politics before the world crisis is just a nod to his base. How dare he.
Additionally, the way this article was written it felt like Trump was seeking a medal of sorts for not following thru on his and I mean HIS tariff war with China. He continues to play the world like a yo-yo. It's despicable.
Now, can someone tell me how Trump could offer up his own property for the next summit? Once again attempting to make money by leveraging his presidency. All being done in plain site. What kind of world can we look forward to when our president is derelict in his duties. Seems like he has definitely joined the ranks of the dictator run nations. Thank goodness some if the G7 is of sound mind and providing the beginnings of a safety net.
Dems listen up, Trump and his ilk must be stopped. Those in Congress need to do something NOW. We can't wait for the Republicans to act. They are shaking in their boots towing the misguided ideas of the president.
2020 cannot come soon enough. The question is will it be too late? Let's face it he is an isolationist and a dictator. Not sure why he even bothered to go to the summit.
254
@Wendy "there will be a plan to help Brasil during this terrible time."
This is a crisis of their, and our, own making, allowing wealthy ranchers to set the fires in order to create more land for porterhouse and strip steaks for the American and European dinner plate.
The enemy of our planet is the profit margins expected on Wall Street.
40
I wonder how much of the budget that would or will cost us. He’s making profit off of everything he does. Another violation of that silly oath he took, with his little hand on a bible. Anyone believe someone will add this (if it is approved) to the list of illegal things he’s done since he “moved” in to the White House? Are these federal crimes?
32
@GL
You speak the truth. Well said.
13
Trump and his White House sycophants claim he had meetings with "other leaders" scheduled during the climate meeting, but all the others were at the climate meeting.
This is lie # how many?
279
@Marilynn Bachorik The Australian PM.
@Marilynn Bachorik I prefer WaPo's reporting on the climate meeting in which they say Trump "skipped" the meeting rather than he "missed" it.
34
Trump’s offer and comments about mediating between India and Pakistan is comical.
“The prime minister really feels he has it under control,” Mr. Trump said.
Asked whether his offer to mediate was still on the table, Mr. Trump said, “I’m here, if for any reason, but I think they can do it themselves, though. They’ve been doing it for a long time.”
How could the master of confrontation think he’s qualified to be a peace broker? And his comment about India and Pakistan “doing it for a long time” shows he has no historical context about the conflicts between those two countries.
64
G6 sans le Trump conducts meeting of substance regarding Amazonian fires as part of global concern which demonstrates he is worthless on world stage.
94
@Suburban Cowboy: He is much worse than worthless. It will take decades to undo the damages.
77
He’s also useless when it comes to offering anything that would help. Look how he helped one of our own, Puerto Rico. His insensitivity toward those in dire need, is the most cold-hearted I’ve ever seen of any of our Presidents.
31
@Suburban Cowboy Thank God he is worthless on the world stage! Imagine how horrible it would be if his idiotic opinions were taken seriously!
1
Trump has missed every opportunity to do good with his venal power and represent this country with honor.
His vile and essentially criminal nature would never drive his base instinct to do any act of good in the world. He is made of the stuff of thieves and corruption.
Of course he missed the meeting. Are there golf courses and McDonald’s in Biarritz to distract him?
48
In the race to the bottom, America is first. I think the G6 will "agree" to meet in Florida next year, and then show up somewhere in the Germany, the Don will be all alone at his little summit.
35
It would be just as good if they “plan” to have it in a remote area in one of their countries, then not show up. He’d be all alone in a country he’s uncomfortable in.
9
There was *no* phone call from the Chinese.
Another bold faced lie by Trump to juice the market for a few hours.
105
@New World
And (as of a few minutes ago)....it worked.
No. words.
NOT my president
8
Why on earth does the media give extensive coverage to every bizarre utterance from POTUS? In all instance he either impulsively make inaccurate uninformed observations, lies, distorts or babble incoherently. On a positive note, it is good to have him distracted and out of the USA for a few days.
42
"In all instance he either impulsively make inaccurate uninformed observations, lies, distorts or babble incoherently."
...and when it does reach the level of legally-actionable hate speech, we can depend on both McConnell and Pelosi to do exactly nothing substantial about it. Sad!
4
Trump will say anything. No one takes anything he says seriously anymore. Why do you think the other leaders at the G7 didn't even bother to include him in the Amazon rainforest discussion? In his so-called "unpredictability," Trump has become predictable and boring.
35
@Piney
Trump just didn't show.
4
Congratulations to the Group of 6 in perfecting the Art of The Polite Ignore.....and in so doing hopefully has set an example for the leaders of the world to follow. The scheduled 2020 meeting definitely should not be at a Trump property - inappropriate and unlawful for the President to personally benefit from this gathering. The fact that it will take place within a few months of the Election is enough reason to carefully consider it's location or postponing to a later date.
89
@Pauline Hartwig. From this side of the pond, I am glad to see Macron and Merkel lead when, sadly, the United States can no longer be a reliable, willing, or helpful partner. Trump plays no more significant role in this summit than a common insect pest. That any American voters expected anything more than the embarrassing display we (and the world) endure every day from the current occupant of 1600 Penn is beyond me. I only hope the example of the G6 will inspire the Republicans in Congress to recommit to actual governing on behalf of all Americans.
31
@Karen The only thing that inspires republicans in Congress is GREED. They have the president of their choice and support the agenda he pushes. No matter that he is an ignorant buffoon. The world knows now and is treating him accordingly. I have no doubt the G6 have separate meetings on how to work around the U. S. Any rational leader would.
6
Unity on saving Amazon. Period.
22
Cash under the mattress--right now!
14
America is lucky to have a person as president with more negotiating experience than any before him. The news media is calling this Trump's trade war but it is a war that has been going on for decades and America never fought back until now.
A president “with more negotiating experience than ever before”? Can you quantify that claim?
77
@P McGrath Rule #1 of negotiating is that you must have trust between all parties that they will live up to what they say. No world leader believes that what DJT says has any merits. Thus, the world is leaving him, and the US, behind on trade talks...we will end up being the leader of one....just the US alone in the world. He can declare victory while the world moves on. Hardly a real victory for the American people.
310
Experience does not connote greatness.
13
Always looking for an opportunity to exploit his position for personal gain, here marketing the amenities of one of his commercial properties , (security, space, proximity to airport etc.) in his role as a government representative and public servant, IF (big if) the Doral site was chosen for the next G7, top of the list of conditions must be that it is done on a non-profit-making basis (i.e. as part of his public service) not for the personal financial gain of Trump the property-owner, his family or his business empire.
95
This is why this paper gets slammed. Trump asks a rhetorical question about who is the bigger enemy, Xi or Powell, clearly making a point about Powell not about Xi, and you claim Trump "branded Xi an enemy". He did no such thing.
This is why objective readers don't trust the NYT any more.
Not holding my breath about this post seeing the light of day.
9:35 Monday am
7
@John Xavier III If you ask such a question, you ARE branding them both enemies.
34
The Times accurately reported the explicit statement from Donald the Orange. Trump’s implication that the Head of the Fed is an enemy of the American People for not being a sufficiently pliant toady furnishes still more evidence of Trump’s instability and unfitness.
65
@John Xavier III
“Who is the bigger enemy?”means both Xi and Powell, in Trump’s estimation are enemies. The question is who is the bigger enemy. I don’t think the NYT misrepresented this.
57
He missed the G7 climate meeting? What was he doing that was so important? Meeting with a despot? The Amazon is burning down and he probably blames Jeff Bezos.
371
@Michael
Well during one of the sessions he was tweeting birthday greetings to REGIS PHILBIN (I do so wish I was making that up) and Sean Connery. Check his feed.
Donnie's attention span is short and no one brought picture books for him. Or crayons
245
@Michael
We knew all along he wouldn't attend. Heaven forbid he be subjected to any information regarding climate and science.
69
@Michael
He was having his chocolate cake and milk.
37
I'll believe China called when they say they did. trump lies about everything.
178
So.
Trump has touted the idea that next year’s summit could he held at Mar-ala-Go.
The corruption of this Grifter-in-Chief could make any third world dictator proud.
Waiting for the day he reveals that Ivanka is his running mate this 2020 (Pence, take note, you’re name is already out of the banners in ‘Show Daddy Some Love’ rallies. All it reads now is Trump 2020).
Keep ‘Merica Great!
134
@Opinioned! Wow, what a thought. He could make her VP, and then step down, and overnight we'd have our first woman president. Let's face it, could she be any worse than her father.
1
The American president opts out on a meeting on climate change. Check.
The American president is dissed big-time by Poland's Agata Kornhaur-Duda who pointedly ignores his outstretched hand and takes Melania's instead.
The American president says that it's on again with China. Right.
The Indian prime minister says "thanks but no thanks" to the American president's offer to "mediate" the ongoing tensions with Kashmir.
And, finally, the American president undresses his true reason for becoming president by offering to stage a future G7 summit at one of his resorts.
If someone took these scripts to Hollywood, he'd be tossed out on the street.
473
@Red Sox, ‘04, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18
No-o-o ....those scripts are right on the mark for a Hollywood production...think about it...Melania outshines her hubby in Poland...sorta like when JFK said he accompanied Jackie to Paris.
11
@Red Sox, ‘04, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18, he's like the little boy in class that puts up his hand when the teacher asks for volunteers for certain projects. The teacher, AKA, the rest of the world, intentionally ignores him and picks, 'the right people'.
16
@Pauline Hartwig
Oh, gosh! Don't compare Melania to Jackie! One of them was a lady in every sense of the word and intelligent, thoughtful, and kind. The other one is Melania.
84
I am disappointed with The New York Times recent inability to publish accurate, secret information about Trump. When Trump was first in office, there were weekly reports from leaks within his administration. The information was often accurate. But those reliable sources seem to have dried up or maybe there is not as much to report. Surely there must still be people to mine for tidbits and comments that are not considered favorable to Trump.
3
@Richard Wright
Wake up....they were fired!
15
@Richard Wright
No worries, Trump's mouth and Tweets are more than enough self inflicted wounds.
5
Trump never ceases to embarrass the United States in front of our allies...but this is what Putin wants.
198
@Carl Ian Schwartz
Mr. Putin is just sitting back and enjoying the show. The encore could be very frightening indeed.
25
All this talk about the next G7 at a Trump resort. What happened to him divesting himself of business interests in conflict with the presidency. Doesn't the emoluments clause apply?
"President Trump appeared to confirm on Monday that he wanted to hold next year’s Group of 7 summit meeting at one of his own properties.."
77
@Mary Ann. I don't recall Trump ever saying that he would divest himself of his business interests, despite the fact that every other President in our lifetime did. It completely amazed me that anyone would ever consider voting for a candidate so proud to show he was corrupt. But now we see Trump, with his tariffs, is very proud of how much taxes he has placed on Americans - I never thought I would see that either.
14
@Bill Seem to recall he agreed to turn over control to his sons. Could be mistaken. Beyond amazed - dismayed, disheartened, disgusted - for starters.
3
@Mary Ann The president of the United States has never cared about the law before now, why should he start now? His way of living his entire life has always been to ignore the rules and do whatever he likes, and if somebody tries to stop him either bribe them or threaten them until they leave him alone. He was a bully and a cheat in grade school, and a notorious cheat in business as well. And now he can get William Barr to shut down criminal investigations into his decisions, and has Moscow Mitch McConnell on hand to prevent any political opposition from going anywhere.
Vote accordingly, on the off-chance it might help.
3
Not surprised that Trump missed the meeting dealing with fires in the Amazon rain forest. The rapidly disappearing rain forest produces 20% of the world's oxygen. I'm sure Trump was too busy hatching global plans to choke off all of our oxygen.
55
@Bill
He will tell his thousands of baby chicks (waiting to be fed in the nest) that this fire in the Amazon is simply "fake news," and as always, they will whole-heartedly swallow it and cry for more.
4
Reportedly, Trump's chair was empty while the other members of the G7 engaged in the discussions of a response to climate change and the fires in the Amazon forest.
How very like Nero, and who knew Trump's talents extended to playing the fiddle?
207
@sandgk
I have it on good authority that the much-vaunted "executive time" for him is needed for his morning toilette. The Hair. That's why he missed the meeting and why his day starts at 11 a.m.
47
Less than useless, trump’s presence at the G7 took up valuable space where a real leader could have been, with real vision, empathy and compassion for the world.
382
@Victor A real leader who is female in the midst of all those guys.
26
@Victor in addition to valuable space wasted, trump also wastes our tax dollars going on trips like these, where he does absolutely nothing useful.
2
20 million?! That doesn’t compare favorably to the TRILLIONS spent to salvage the banking sector as of 2008 or to the TRILLIONS wasted on useless wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya. 20 million is a drop in the bucket. Need more!
93
@Bruno
Dear Bruno from Lausanne Switzerland....first don't compare apples to bombs....second don't dis the nations who have in good faith offered to save the Amazon and last but not least....Switzerland --the silent wealthy nation - sees all, hears all, and does nothing.
18