Donald Trumpseemed to ruffle quite a few feathers at the G7 Summit.
While attending the annual meeting with America’s closest allies in Charlevoix, Canada, Trump didn’t appear to be on the friendliest footing with many of his fellow world leaders.
On Friday, after vigorously shaking hands with French President Emmanuel Macron — with whom he’s previouslyheld hands, sparking bromance speculation — visible white marks could be seen on the 71-year-old commander in chief’s hand.
During the interaction, Trump commented that Macron would be “very tough” to beat at “arm wrestling,” according toCNN.
However, Trump also seemingly dismissed any rumors of bad blood between the pair, adding, “He’s my friend. We’ve had a great relationship right from the beginning.”
LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP/Getty Images
Of course, the two leaders are no strangers to sharing complicated handshakes. In May 2017, when the pair met in Belgium ahead of a NATO summit, they locked hands for several seconds, with each man appearing torefuse to be the first to let go.
Confirming there was more going on in that moment than just shaking hands, according to theAssociated Press, Macron later told a French newspaper, “My handshake with him, it wasn’t innocent.”
“One must show that you won’t make small concessions, even symbolic ones, but also not over-publicize things, either,” Macron said of the now viral moment, adding that it was “a moment of truth.”
Chip Somodevilla/Getty
Trump also arrived late on Saturday’s breakfast gender equality meeting, prompting several of the guests who had arrived earlier — including International Monetary Fund director Christine Lagarde and German Chancellor Angela Merkel — to give him critical looks.
According to a pool report, during his opening remarks, Canadian Prime MinisterJustin Trudeauseeminglyreferenced Trump’s absencewhen he said that “any stragglers will come in as they arrive,” CNN reported.
Trudeau also subtly highlighted Trump’s absence in a series of photos he posted of the event, in which thepresident’s empty chairat the table is visible.
Justin Tang/The Canadian Press/AP
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Although Trudeauhas been critical of Trump in the past, during the prime minister’s first meeting at the White House in 2017, he expressed his commitment to having “a constructive working relationshipwith the incoming American administration.”
Trudeau has also spent some time with the president’s daughterIvanka Trump, who serves as an adviser to the president,attending summits togetherand even taking inBroadway shows. The pair have also created awomen’s business grouptogether: the Canada-United States Council for Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders.
Jesco Denzel/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
Much was also made of aphoto showing Merkelleaning on a table while speaking with Trump, who was sitting on the other side with his arms crossed.
Although she described the photo as a “spontaneous meeting between two working sessions,” on Instagram, many social media users have taken the photo as proof that tensions exist between Trump and the other world leaders.
Wrote one social media user, “Our president, the petulant child.”
Taking a more humorous approach, actor Patton Oswalt added, “When you smelt it but you won’t admit you dealt it.”
“To our allies: bipartisan majorities of Americans remain pro-free trade, pro-globalization & supportive of alliances based on 70 years of shared values. Americans stand with you, even if our president doesn’t,” he said.
While Trump landed in Singapore on Sunday to attend a second political meeting — thehighly anticipated summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Unabout the nation’s potential denuclearization —Ivanka Trumpand her husband Jared Kushner dined in Washington D.C. on Saturday night and happened torun into Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin, who strolled in with some teammates and their recently won Stanley Cup.
source: people.com
