France on Sunday took a jab at President Trump for his comments following the weekend’s Group of Seven (G-7) summit, saying that the country would stand by the…
France on Sunday took a jab at President Trump for his comments following the weekend’s Group of Seven (G-7) summit, saying that the country would stand by the G-7’s joint communique, despite Trump’s refusal to endorse it.
“International cooperation cannot depend on fits of anger or little words. Let us be serious and worthy of our people,” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said in a statement obtained by Le Monde.
The statement, which did not mention Trump by name, appeared to come down on the president for «incoherence and inconsistency» in his snub of the communique which includes a commitment to “rules-based international trading system” and to combating protectionism.
“We spent two days to obtain a text and commitments. We will stand by them and anyone who would depart from them, once their back was turned, shows their incoherence and inconsistency,” the statement said.
Germany, according to Reuters, also pledged to stay committed to the G-7 communique.
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Hours after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Saturday that all G-7 nations had agreed to sign on to the communique, Trump rebuked the Canadian leader via Twitter. In a pair of tweets, Trump slammed Trudeau for being inconsistent and announced that the U. S. would not sign the joint statement.
“Based on Justin’s false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our U. S. farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our U. S. Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the U. S. Market!” Trump tweeted on Saturday.
Tensions between the U. S. and the European Union (EU) have grown since Trump’s recent announcement that he would impose steep tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the EU, Canada and Mexico.
Before the G-7 summit, Trump tussled with Macron over the tariffs.
Macron declared Thursday that no leader lasts forever, saying, “The six countries of the G-7 without the United States, are a bigger market taken together than the American market. There will be no world hegemony if we know how to organize ourselves. And we don’t want there to be one,» the French leader said during a joint press conference Trudeau in Ottawa.
Trump blasted Macron for his comments, tweeting, “Please tell Prime Minister Trudeau and President Macron that they are charging the U. S. massive tariffs and create non-monetary barriers. The EU trade surplus with the U. S. is $151 Billion, and Canada keeps our farmers and others out.”
The EU has announced retaliatory measures that have stoked fears of a mounting trade war.
