politics

Allies confront Trump with trade numbers at tense G7 summit

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Trump is a shrewd merchant. He hoist a balloon high to lead a deal to his advantage and negotiations follow. Good buyers must haggle the prices.

-15 ( +9 / -24 )

I didn't like Trump at first... but I do now. He's holding the cards and he's playing them well. Should we really be trying to run a "most liked" country contest, or should we be trying to squeeze out ever ounce of bargaining power we have in order to benefit all Americans. The U.S. has built a few Democracies and supported them until maturity... at some point we need to do business on very level footing with them.

-21 ( +7 / -28 )

EU needs to lower their tariffs on US goods first.

-16 ( +7 / -23 )

The EU is also attending the summit.

So, is it a G7 or G8 now?

"Russia is focused on other formats, apart from the G7," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said 

Oh, you bet they are. The EAEU for one, with a final Iran deal in 2021.

-14 ( +2 / -16 )

What an idiot. He makes a big stink about letting Russia back in, then clams up about it during the actual meeting, then even Russia tells him to get lost.

11 ( +19 / -8 )

Trump has his own numbers.

America (Number wun!)

Trade deficit....no problem! Tariff everyone and bring the number down.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

funny to see the little guys clamor to the big dog when their US cash cow is at risk

-18 ( +5 / -23 )

why is Canada part of the G7 anyway? California has a bigger economy than Canada

-18 ( +6 / -24 )

Just so I have this straight. Canada, Mexico, and the EU are dangers to national security and not worth meeting with and Russia is now a friend that we need to advocate for.  

Tell me the "no puppet" story again.

12 ( +18 / -6 )

Trade deficit is not a serious problem for U.S.  They have a great advantage of holding the world currency. Speed up of printing their money a little and they will be diluted in the world thinly. Trade deficit does not affect people's life in America.  That is why they do no care where the products are made.

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

Need super security as a gathering of numb nuts is worthy of attack. Are they even aware of normal people?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Putin really did win the US presidential election. USA! USA!

6 ( +11 / -5 )

Although a reluctant European (I. e. a confirmed Brexiteer) I have to say that I do admire Europe for standing up to Trump because the US has exercised too much power in the world over the UN, Middle Eastern politics, trade practices, for far too long. And as for Mexico and those in the American region who defy the US currently, is it surprising, given the history of US interference in neighbours' politics and support of repressive regimes at the first whiff of socialism?

5 ( +10 / -5 )

Just want both Putin and Trump to start to work together.... let them carve up the map as they please.

-16 ( +0 / -16 )

My fear is that this confrontation with everyone else on the other side will only elevate Trump in the eyes of his supporters

11 ( +11 / -0 )

My fear is that this confrontation with everyone else on the other side will only elevate Trump in the eyes of his supporters

Not just his supporters.

-20 ( +2 / -22 )

USA needs to be in the wilderness for a while. Their people are too far gone to be reasoned with and even though they have many social democratic values keep electing the worst of the worst into office. The rest of the world needs to move on from such a toxic relationship

9 ( +11 / -2 )

why is Canada part of the G7 anyway? California has a bigger economy than Canada

Because California isn't a country. It should be obvious.

14 ( +15 / -1 )

Relations with Russia also became an issue at the summit after Trump on Friday said the country should be allowed to again attend meetings with the G7, an idea that did not gain much traction at the meeting. Freeland said the Russia issue was not formally raised during the session.

WTF!! Hey trump broadcast your Russia connections much!! And your master putin tells you he aint interested......how does that feel wittle trumpy wumpy??!!??

The rest of the world just needs to keep the US at arms length until their idiot potus is either impeached or god forbid serves out his term

For crying loud Russia & China are rubbing their hands with glee the way this moron is going about things. I mean the way trump RUSHED to save ZTE....WTF!! People of the US, those that support trump, HELLO, wake up!!

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Slowly we're seeing the playing field emerge where the rest of the world is discussing how to do things in reasonable and rational manner, figuring out ways we can work together to move forward as people living together on this rock hurtling through space, with Trump on the side saying 'LISTEN TO ME. DO WHAT I SAY. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SCREW US OVER'. While the rest of the world says 'ok, ok, don't worry, we won't screw you over', and then just turn around and continue their reasonable and rational manner.

The next logical step is Trump demanding that if people don't do what he says, he'll go home. And the rest of the world saying 'ok'.

It's like that whole Philadelphia Eagles thing. Most of them decided they didn't want to meet him, so he freaked out and canceled it for the rest. Then he and his people say 'act nice, or we won't ask you next time', ignoring the fact that they didn't even want to go this time.

The weird thing is, these are lessons I've been teaching my son.

Play nice if you want people to play nice with you

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

The best negotiations are when both sides win

6 ( +9 / -3 )

I notice Trump had a moment to bring President Hillary back into the conversation. You really need to get over her Don.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Trump has managed the G7 into a new group, G6+1.

He'll likely quit soon enough, so it will just be the G6.

I hear Iran, China and Russia have their own E3 (East 3) going on though. Maybe they'll let bait-and-switch Don into their party.

And if that seems like a ridiculous concept, so does all of this. That ridiculous concept is not so ridiculous. After all, at the G7 meeting which America is supposedly a member of, the country Trump pushed the hardest for is E3-Russia. It doesn't seem that strange that he would bring his affiliation to the country he supports, rather than the six he's arguing against.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

There’ not a country in the world that does not place high tariffs/taxes on U.S. imports to their country. American autos sold in Japan are accessed import taxes of 110%, I know this for a fact having been stationed there for 10.5 years. There are however many American made items that do not sale there due to poor U.S. marketing practices (No operating instructions in Japanneese). Canada, Mexico, and the EU governments use tariffs on American imports as a means to bust there budgets and receive/ substitute taxzation on their own populations. They’re all crying “foul” to cover their longtime abuse of the Fair Trade Regulations that they’ve agreed to abide by, weaker past U.S. administration’s for whatever polical reasons have failed to call them on it . President Trump and his Economic advisors have crunched the numbers and the math doesn’t lie. As to Russia for all her faults the rest of the world can not exclude her from everything she remains a major power and needs to be recognized as such if were to come together in the future as a goble community.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

American autos sold in Japan are accessed import taxes of 110%, I know this for a fact

This is false. In fact, almost everything you said was wrong.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

After years of kowtowing and bowing to other countries demands, the US finally wants fair and mutually beneficial deals and this is the reaction. Funny. People really get worked up when their cash cow is at risk.

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

Perhaps if Canada lowered their tariffs on US agriculture from 280% down to only 150% we could have a dialog about what "fair" and "mutually beneficial" trade actually means

-10 ( +2 / -12 )

@Bill Wright - I have been living in Japan for 2 decades and actually there are no tariffs on U.S. autos imported into Japan. Is it possible you were stationed here a while back? Here is one of many articles that documents the lack of tariffs on autos

https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2018/03/heres-the-real-reason-the-japanese-dont-buy-american-cars/

@Dango - I would not have believed your figures unless I checked myself. The Canadian tariffs above the quotas are draconian.

https://www.export.gov/article?id=Canada-Import-Tariffs

I do not like Trump but he is not 100% wrong on trade. For me it is just the way he is going about things that I think is incorrect.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Perhaps if Canada lowered their tariffs on US agriculture from 280% down to only 150% we could have a dialog about what "fair" and "mutually beneficial" trade actually means

Once again you guys need to stop thinking we all know what you're referring to.

Personally I am suspect of the numbers you are producing. I have a good bit of doubt that they are accurate.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Good buyers must haggle the prices. why American exports prices just went up with tarriffs, plenty of other countries that people can get their agriculture products from with low tariffs. Trump just made steel more expensive for every AMerican, which in turn makes almost everything else America makes more expensive making their exports even more expensive. Trump has just made American exports less competitive compared to other countries, moron in chief

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Perhaps if Canada lowered their tariffs on US agriculture from 280% down to only 150% we could have a dialog about what "fair" and "mutually beneficial" trade actually means America already enjoys a trade surplus with Canada, now Trumps want to make the surplus even larger effectively taking agriculture jobs away from Canadians and giving them to Americans, how is that even remotely" fair " or "mutually beneficial"

1 ( +2 / -1 )

They all look pretty happy to me. All for show to keep the sheeple in line.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Trump is the President of the U.S. Makes sense his America first policy. Shouldn't the other leaders of their countries feel the same?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

My fear is that this confrontation with everyone else on the other side will only elevate Trump in the eyes of his supporters, possible but well see how well they feel when their red state jobs start drying up since America has effective made their exporters far less competitive to the rest of the world. There are no winners in a trade war.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

USA needs to be in the wilderness for a while. Their people are too far gone to be reasoned with and even though they have many social democratic values keep electing the worst of the worst into office. The rest of the world needs to move on from such a toxic relationship

I was thinking the exact same thing about Europe.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Trump is the President of the U.S. Makes sense his America first policy. Shouldn't the other leaders of their countries feel the same? theyre putting their countries first, if AMerica want to steal jobs from their markets then they certainly can do the same for Americas exporters in the way of higher tariffs. No trade war ever resulted in a net gain for any country, everybody is a loser

4 ( +5 / -1 )

USA to become the new hermit kingdom with NK, China, and Russia

1 ( +4 / -3 )

I doubt Trump cares about what these other so called "leaders" have to say, America really does have the Aces without American dollars purchasing the other countries products the unemployment in those countries is gonna rise.

I noticed the voting in the comments section seems to attract the left leaning or Social Justice Warriors

-8 ( +3 / -11 )

Just remember this, with trump he is your friend today and your nemesis tomorrow.

You are useful to trump today and a piece of jetsam tomorrow.

trump only believes in trump, what is good for trump today he will sell tomorrow.

In other words, DO NOT TRUST, YOU CANNOT TRUST this liar.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

without American dollars purchasing the other countries products the unemployment in those countries is gonna rise. until other countries decide enough is enough and start trading the petrodollar and ocean freight in their own currencies and not the $, basically America is screwed, whats America going to do declare war on everybody. LOL

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Yes when the magic chequebook of the USD is replaced with the euro, banks around the world will sell off the USD to buy euros, cratering its value

0 ( +1 / -1 )

all oil purchases occur in USD. Replace that with the euro and the USA is no longer floating its trillions in debt no one is going to want

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Just looking at the bodies below the heads, you can tell which one's the American.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Should we really be trying to run a "most liked" country contest, or should we be trying to squeeze out ever ounce of bargaining power we have in order to benefit all Americans. T

Unfortunately Trump is doing neither. He is introducing policies that will force up the price if steel fire ordinary American companies and this in turn will force up the price if domestically produced goods. This will make them less competitive to foreign made good.

This is just a tax on ordinary Americans.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I'm going to stir the pot

Instead of inviting Russia back into the fold, which they don't seem to want anyway.

Why is South Korea not present?

Why is Spain and even Australia not present? Make it the G10.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The Cold War of the 50's, Vietnam and the social turmoil of the 60's, Watergate in the 70's, Iran Contra of the 80's - have we ever been in such a dark place in America? The current President is a serial sexual predator, a grifting con man, a race-baiter, cavorts with porn stars, and worst of all, is a puppet for the Soviet dictator. Insulting our friends and allies that have stood shoulder to shoulder with us against our enemies for the past 100 years, yet suggests we let Russia back into the world's good graces after it launches information warfare against the west by meddling in free elections, invades Crimea and the Ukraine, shoots down an airliner murdering almost 300 innocent people, and props up a Syrian dictator that gasses his own people.

In concert with his propaganda arm Faux News (...we deceive, you believe...), he spouts far-fetched conspiracy theories that are no more that McCarthyite character assassinations.

"I had nothing to do with writing the response to Donald Jr's meeting with Russian intelligence agents at Trump Tower". "I wrote the initial memo that incorrectly stated the basis of Donald Jr's meeting with Russian nationals at Trump Tower was about adoptions". This man is nothing but a bold faced liar.

MAGA AIBI! "My Attorney Got Arrested....And I'll Be Impeached"

2 ( +3 / -1 )

"We're going to deal with the unfair trade practices. If you look at what Canada, and Mexico, the European Union - all of them - have been doing to us for many, many decades. We have to change it. And they understand it's going to happen," Trump said.

The above says it all.

President Trump stay the course, eliminate those unfair trade practices. Dismantle their cunning trade barriers. Demand free trade that is truly free trade, fair to all.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Big Orange Man does not deal with "facts." He operates in the "fake world."

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Yes, it is time for the Americans to stop these other countries from taking advantage of them! Their citizens barely have enough money to buy their narcotics illegal or otherwise, or their guns for home defence. And lets be honest, their military spending money of 674 Billion a year, is shamefully low! It really appears that they have been getting fleeced to the max by their allies!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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