Donald Trump’s planned arrival in Kananaskis, Alberta, this week couldn’t be more timely. The much awaited and closely watched Group of Seven (G7) summit is nearly upon us! The picturesque resort town in the Canadian Rockies will host leaders from some of the world’s largest economies amid rising global tensions fueled by Trump’s controversial trade policies and statements.
Even leading up to the historic summit, Trump’s administration has caused alarm. Instead, they hiked up 10% tariffs on imports from virtually all other countries. Such tariffs have further escalated trade wars that could destabilize the global economy. The fallout from these trade skirmishes has been evident, with economists cautioning about a decelerating growth path for most countries.
In an early example of this counterproductive zeal, Trump reneged on the final G7 communiqué just hours after it was released in 2018. This brash action really showcased his unconventional approach to international diplomacy. Global leaders should be looking askance at this behavior. Few have forgotten Trump’s wrecking of the 2017 meeting in Italy by insisting that language on climate change be removed from the final statement.
Trump has called for Russia to be re-admitted into the G7. This demand has sparked quite the controversy, mostly because Russia was expelled in 2014 for annexing Crimea. It’s unclear whether or how much the re-entry of Russia into this elite club will be debated, making for an even more difficult conversation among the summit members.
Buckling into this tapestry has been Trump’s fondness for taking pot shots at Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He even went so far as to call Trudeau “dishonest” and “weak.” At a post-summit press conference last year, he expressed his acute disappointment at what he perceived as duplicity. As these glowing comments reflect, we’re at a pivotal moment for U.S.-Canada relations. His previous proposal that Canada be converted into the 51st state of the Union is particularly incendiary, having incensed many Canadians to a high degree.
Today, under Trump’s trade policies, the United States has a growing trade deficit with every single one of those G7 nations. The solitary exception is the United Kingdom. This reality deeply complicates the narrative being spun at the summit. Trump wants to use these deficits to renegotiate agreements to better favor the U.S.
“The big X Factor (is) the looming tariffs,” noted Max Bergmann, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s negotiating strategies as he approaches bilateral meetings with various world leaders, including Trudeau.
This will be the first meeting Trump holds with Ukraine’s newly elected President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during such a summit. This meeting comes on the heels of their contentious face-off in the Oval Office. During that notable floor exchange, they vociferously argued against each other on Ukraine-related U.S. military assistance.
Insiders warned that literally anything is possible during these unpredictable high-stakes meetings. Robert Bothwell pointed out, “The Canadians would be crazy not to anticipate something,” emphasizing the unpredictable nature of Trump’s diplomatic style. He added, “It all depends on what kind of theater he’s going to want to have,” reflecting the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s motives.
Peter Boehm expressed his discontent regarding past summits, stating, “We weren’t too happy because we thought we managed to pull off a pretty good summit.” He painted a picture of the shock among negotiators when Trump yanked the agreement from the joint statement last year.
