Donald Trump takes the haughty seat at G7

Trump (right) with German Chancellor Angela Merkel (centre) surrounded by other G7 leaders. Pic/AFP

The G7 summit ended in farce and a renewed threat of global trade war yesterday as US President Donald Trump abruptly rejected the text of a consensus statement and bitterly insulted the Canadian host.

Just minutes after a joint communique that had been approved by the leaders of the Group of Seven allies was published in Canada's summit host city Quebec, Trump launched a Twitter broadside from aboard Air Force One. The US leader had left the meeting early en route for Singapore and a historic nuclear summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, only to take exception to comments made by Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a news conference back on the ground.

"Based on Justin's false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our US farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our US Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the US Market!" Trump tweeted.

"PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that ... he 'will not be pushed around.' Very dishonest & weak."

Earlier, Trudeau had said Trump's decision to invoke national security to justify US tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium was "kind of insulting" to Canadian veterans who had stood by their US allies in conflicts dating back to World War I. "Canadians are polite and reasonable but we will also not be pushed around," he said.

After Trump's angry tweets, Trudeau's office issued a brief response: "We are focused on everything we accomplished here at the G7 summit. The Prime Minister said nothing he hasn't said before - both in public, and in private conversations with the President."

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever