Heiko Maas, Emmanuel Macron lash out at Donald Trump ahead of G7 summit
Source: DW
Date 08.06.2018
Author Elizabeth Schumacher
Nothing US President Donald Trump is doing will "make the world better, safer, or more peaceful," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told the daily Süddeutsche Zeitung on Friday. (snip) We cannot look away," said Maas. "He knows that what he is doing is of direct detriment to Europe." The top German diplomat specifically referenced Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, the Paris climate accords, and the imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminum as unfathomable measures to take against his nation's closest allies.
In the interview, Maas offered insight into Berlin's strategy to deal with its changing relationship with Washington: "The only answer to 'America First,' is 'Europe United.'"
However, Maas also warned that Europe should not adopt an adversarial attitude towards the United States as a whole. "What Donald Trump is doing isn't exactly celebrated across the US," he said. "We have to remain in contact with civil society."
The German government was not the only ally to lash out at the US president before the Canada meeting. French President Emmanuel Macron, who has tried to be friendly with Trump in the past, has recently shifted to a tougher line against the White House. Signaling that his allies would not be intimated, Macron made it clear that the other six countries at G7 meeting would gladly sign deal without Trump.
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Read more: http://www.dw.com/en/heiko-maas-emmanuel-macron-lash-out-at-donald-trump-ahead-of-g7-summit/a-44121851
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With tRump in office (apologies to the Office), international public officials are now trading barbs even before a conference begins. This will surely backfire and the hangover will come from all our wallets.....
Nothing will make my day than for our allies to take a very firm stance against the tRump administration and force them to ease or change their positions.
I'm very prone to agree with others here who have said these trade moves are a part of a massive effort by hedge funds and big banks to take control of more American assets and to control more of the Commons.
