With President Donald Trump’s arrival this week at the French spa resort Évian-les-Bains for a summit of top world leaders, the placid lakeside setting may disguise a somewhat more stormy atmosphere.
Trump has repeatedly insulted most of his Group of 7 counterparts over the last several months, reopening old grudges and igniting new feuds with leaders he once seemed to respect.
The root of his latest ire has been the leaders’ unwillingness to join in the US-Israeli war against Iran, which will be in the spotlight at the summit after Trump announced an agreement with Tehran over the weekend.
In reality, however, the president’s relationship with the G7 has been tortured for years, stretching back to tension-filled summits during his first term. Most of the time, his fellow leaders — who represent the United States’ staunchest allies — have tried to gloss over his jabs. But some have begun hitting back.
Trump has known French President Emmanuel Macron, the host of this year’s summit, the longest. As such, their relationship seems to be the most complicated: one day, a nod of respect; the next, a jab about Macron’s marriage. After years of taking pride in his ability to deal with Trump, Macron has lately sounded more exasperated with his American counterpart.
