Donald Trump, who will be in attendance at the next G7 meeting in Canada. This would be his first foray into a multilateral forum he has historically eyed with disdain. The ex-POTUS is making his long-awaited return to the world stage with this being his first leader summit in six years. He is prepared to work with us on deliberating and tackling immediate global challenges pertaining to trade, international security, and energy security. The summit will be set against a backdrop of increasing, and sometimes alarming, tensions over the Israel-Iran conflict and other geopolitical issues.
The presidents skepticism about multilateral organizations has been well-documented. He argues that these fora are constricting America’s capacity to compete. Rather than acting as launch pads for opportunity, he believes they are shackling its ability to thrive and compete across the globe. His stated preference for one-on-one talks will determine the format of discussions at the upcoming G7 summit. You’ll have the added benefit of fewer 7-hour long in-person working group meetings. Such a format works perfectly to Trump’s advantage, letting him focus on one-on-one deals while still treating the summit as a victory lap.
There are other genuinely high priority issues more deserving of repeated G7 focus, such as trade and the global economy. It will additionally touch on critical minerals, migrant and drug smuggling, wildfires, artificial intelligence, and energy security. A senior US official highlighted that Canada is collaborating with member nations to develop “short, action-oriented leader statements on key issues of common interest” for release at the conclusion of the summit.
Despite Trump’s skepticism, he is eager to demonstrate progress on trade negotiations, which have so far produced only one framework agreement with the United Kingdom. His desire to showcase tangible results may influence his interactions with other leaders, particularly given his history of contentious exchanges at previous summits.
By the conclusion of his first term in office, Trump had grown cautious of attending leaders’ summits. He began to wonder about their usefulness. His final G7 meeting in France was characterized by dramatic tension. He reportedly butted heads with other leaders on the subject of letting Russia back in the group. Caitlin Welsh commented on this dynamic, stating, “This photo captured the acrimonious spirit of that summit.”
Trump’s approach to multilateralism is made even more fraught by the fact that he has frequently turned these meetings into circus sideshows. He’s the one who infamously ripped up a joint statement that leaders had previously agreed to in 2018. As he boarded his plane home, he labeled Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “dishonest” and “weak.” As Rachel Rizzo noted, “President Trump treats multilateral fora with a good deal of skepticism. This skepticism often plays an outsized role in coloring his meetings with other heads of state.”
Because of these tensions, the White House delayed until late spring to announce that Trump would attend the G7. This late announcement immediately called into question his bona fides when it came to the multilateral diplomacy. That together with his reluctance to engage fully with international organizations will make it more difficult for us to collaborate on the most pressing global issues.
The G7 summit will feature relatively short sessions, providing opportunities for more personalized discussions. This aspect of diplomacy that Trump favors. This new structure gives him the ability to focus on key bilateral relationships. It serves to lessen the tensions that often arise in large group environments.
