There was a great deal of doubt that the G7 was going to be able to issue a joint communique after the somewhat contentious and disharmonious meeting that just concluded. But somehow they managed it.

JUST IN: Trudeau says all G7 leaders signed joint statement despite rising tensions with Trump https://t.co/NzlolAHca2 pic.twitter.com/JNZtxJSvIk

— The Hill (@thehill) June 9, 2018

Via The Hill:

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Saturday that all members of the Group of Seven (G-7) had signed on to a joint statement, ending speculation that the United States could be excluded from such a communique.

“I’m happy to announce that we’ve released a joint communique by all seven countries,” Trudeau said in closing remarks at the G-7 summit in Charlevoix, Canada.
…
Speaking at a news conference on Saturday morning, Trump demanded that G-7 countries drastically reduce trade barriers for the U.S. or risk losing access to the world’s largest economy.

The series of snubs and demands from Trump — alongside other long-simmering disagreements with key U.S. allies — prompted speculation that the U.S. would be left out of the joint communique with the other G-7 leaders.

At the same news conference, Trudeau took some exceptions to some of Trump’s demands.

In his final press conference, Trudeau said people who expected the G-7 countries to resolve their differences with Trump on trade during the summit were expecting too much.

Trudeau also sharply disagreed with Trump’s comments from earlier Saturday that the NAFTA deal should have a clause that sunsets the agreement, signaling more future fireworks on trade between the two nations.

“There will be no sunset clause,” Trudeau said.

His words apparently set Trump off.

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!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2018

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, “US Tariffs were kind of insulting” and he “will not be pushed around.” Very dishonest & weak. Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270% on dairy!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2018

This, of course, is all posturing on both sides. Canada’s GDP is small potatoes compared to the US and we are their largest trading partner. Likewise, Canada is a major trading partner with the US. Any tit-for-tat exchange of tariff increases is going to hurt both sides but the pain is going to be felt first, and more deeply, in Canada. That said, President Trump’s behavior is punching down to a significant degree and unseemly in the bargain. It would have been just as easy to instruct the conference representatives to not sign on to the joint communique and leave Trudeau hanging out there alone. It would have been equally easy to ignore Trudeau and sign on to a communique that committed us to nothing (the diplomatic equivalent of “no, Honey, those jeans don’t make your ass look like it needs its own ZIP Code”). It is difficult to see what this accomplished besides make negotiations between two long time allies and trading partners much more difficult than they need be.

Just another #G7 where other countries expect America will always be their bank. The President made it clear today. No more. (photo by @RegSprecher) pic.twitter.com/emAVNqRqhc

— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) June 9, 2018

Our relations with North Korea now may be warmer than our relations with Canada. #BizarroWorld

— Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) June 9, 2018

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