Merkel rebuffs Trump invitation to G7 summit

[kpete]

Source: Politico

Merkel rebuffs Trump invitation to G7 summit
US president wants landmark event but chancellor ‘cannot agree’ to travel due to ongoing pandemic.

By MATTHEW KARNITSCHNIG, DAVID M. HERSZENHORN, JACOPO BARIGAZZI AND ANDREW GRAY 5/29/20, 6:10 PM CET Updated 5/30/20, 12:40 AM CET

BERLIN — Angela Merkel has rebuffed Donald Trump’s invitation to attend a G7 summit, which the U.S. president is keen to portray as a symbol of a return to normality from the upheaval of the coronavirus crisis.

"The federal chancellor thanks President Trump for his invitation to the G7 summit at the end of June in Washington. As of today, considering the overall pandemic situation, she cannot agree to her personal participation, to a journey to Washington," German government spokesman Steffen Seibert told POLITICO Friday.


"She will of course continue to monitor the development of the pandemic."

Merkel's refusal to accept Trump's invitation is the latest in a long line of examples of the difficult relationship between the two leaders. Trump has repeatedly criticized Germany, and Merkel specifically, over issues ranging from Berlin's trade surplus to its defense spending and commitment to NATO. Merkel has pointedly and publicly taken issue with the Trump administration's unilateral approach to a range of foreign policy issues, from climate change to the Iran nuclear deal.

Read more: https://www.politico.eu/article/angela-merkel-rebuffs-donald-trump-invitation-to-g7-summit/

[hlthe2b]

1. I'm glad to see she's come out early and clearly on this. I hope the others will have the good sense

to follow her lead and shoot down Trump's dangerous little stunt.

[Thomas Hurt]

3. they should refuse until we have a real President.

[Canoe52]

13. Or until we start handling the pandemic better.

[SammyWinstonJack]

18. That won't be until we have a real president.

[area51]

39. +1 n/t

[fleur-de-lisa]

2. She took the Chicago mayor's cue and gave Dumpus

the big FU.

[alwaysinasnit]

17. LOL. Yes, she gave him a polite middle finger salute.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

22. Yes, great minds and all!

I love Angela Merkel, and I just recently “found out” about Lori Lightfoot.

I ❤️ Them Both!

[soothsayer]

4. Bwahaha

“I’m not going to your virus-plagued country where people are too stupid to wear masks (thanks to you).”

[Mars and Minerva]

35. ...and sit around with the Orange Idiot who may turn up infected anytime! nt

[Doreen]

5. If they all said no,

We can call it the "Gee fuck you" to trump.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

38. "...And then there were six..."

Who else will follow her lead?

[BComplex]

45. I hope nobody comes to his COVID party.

I hope they all decline, and give the same FU excuse.

[Mike 03]

6. Trump will just use them as a photo op for a re-election campaign

I hope none of them go.

That sentence about a "difficult relationship between the two leaders" is misleading. Trump has a difficult relationship with every leader, even the autocrats he claims are his friends.

[Captain Zero]

7. She is being nice; but basically paints him as irrelevant

Don't you think?
I think she should have come right out and said it.

He doesn't want to be part of WHO.
I hope they all make an excuse and stay home.

He started out trying to make this G7 a profit center for one of his miserable hotels anyway.

[keithbvadu2]

8. Trump can promise to bring free bedbugs from his hotels.

Trump can promise to bring free bedbugs from his hotels.

[kimbutgar]

9. Something tells me other leaders will take her lead and give the excuse of the pandemic for not

Attending. But don’t be surprised if he invites Putin during that time for a state visit.

[lunatica]

43. Putin has his problems in Russia

It’s also been hit hard due to Putin’s actions, or inaction. Russia had 300,000 dead in mid May.

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/russian-federation/2020-05-27/where-russias-strongman-coronavirus-crisis

[MFM008]

10. they have the perfect

excuse to tell him to piss off.

[lamp_shade]

11. Like... "thanks but I'm having my nails done that day. Maybe some other time... mkay?"

[Mr.Bill]

12. Let's hope the rest follow her lead.

I would have liked it better if she said she wasn't coming because he's a steaming pile of pig shit, though.

[OldManTarHeel]

14. They Will . . !

No one likes the pathetic leader of the US of A . . !

[47of74]

20. Yeah me too.

With apologies to pig shit.

[Mazeltov Cocktail]

15. One down, five to go,..

[SCantiGOP]

37. "we are going to host the most incredible G1 conference ever"

Many people are saying that.

[TeamPooka]

16. She doesn't want to meet with people who refuse to wear a mask. Smart lady.

[47of74]

19. Me i would have just told the Orange Fuckopotomus to fuck off

And not bothered with diplomatic language.

[RobertDevereaux]

21. Render him 100% irrelevant...

Heap scorn and derision on him.

Deny and defy him.

Ridicule and fuck-you-charley all the way to isolation and obscurity.

[rurallib]

23. Nasty tweets coming your way, Angela

[Rebl2]

24. I would

hope none of them accepts

[Sneederbunk]

25. A lot of leaders will be waiting for Biden to take office.

[CTyankee]

30. Absolutely! I'd do the same things in their place...

[DesertRat]

26. Merkel understands how viruses spread because she believes in science

This is leadership.

[Pepsidog]

27. How can she possibly refuse Big Macs and KFC.

[lunatica]

44. LOL!

[tblue37]

28. Like a kid whose birthday party is shunned by all the other kids, only Trump is both

malevolent and pathetic, so it's easy to understand why no one wants to come to his party.

[iluvtennis]

29. I stand with Merkel. Until the pandemic is under control with tesing, isolation, and tracing, she

and others shouldn't come. G7 needs to be postponed. Glad, she has said NO. Expect others to follow.

[matt819]

31. Well done.

👍

[notdarkyet]

32. What if trump hosted the G7 summit and no one came?

[Grokenstein]

33. What if everyone else just attended a real summit somewhere else?

and didn't invite the Asshole?

(couldn't find the meme that goes with this pic)

[SCantiGOP]

34. I love it Grokenstein

Dear President Trump:
I will not be able to attend your beautiful G7 event, as I will be attending the G6 summit in Toronto.

[Cha]

36. Danke Angela Merkle!

Who is going to trump's charade?

[Retrograde]

40. G7 in Washington? Where?

I thought it was going to be at Camp David, not Washington. He's not trying to sneak it into his hotel, is he?

I wouldn't travel to the US these days myself.

[WanderingLiberal]

41. tRump's head will really explode when the other G7 members follow

Merkel’s lead. It’s a win-win. They get to send a clear message to the world about his influence and avoid the Mid-Atlantic summer heat & humidity,

[kpete]

42. Trump reportedly 'furious' that Germany's Angela Merkel turned down his G7 Summit invitation

https://www.businessinsider.com/angela-merkel-rebuffs-trumps-g7-summit-invitation-due-to-coronavirus-2020-5

[Stuart G]

46. Donald Trump doesn't have a clue. Millions of people are "furious" at him for his incompetence &

total stupidity. After November's election, Trump will finally have clue. Finally.

[dalton99a]

47. Kick