During this month’s G7 summit, President Trump threw Starburst candies at German Chancellor Angela Merkel and told her, “Don’t say I didn’t give you anything,” a new report says.
Trump tossed his beloved junk food at the leader of the free world because he felt pressured to sign a joint communiqué, said Eurasia Group President Ian Bremmer on “CBS This Morning” Wednesday.
Trump has repeatedly moved to isolate the United States from the international community militarily and economically. During his term, he has withdrawn from a number of international agreements He arrived at the G7 summit after stoking a potential trade war with Canada, France and Germany, having lied repeatedly about the United States’ trade balance with them. But throwing candy is an apparently new tactic.
At the end of the summit, Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron were trying to convince Trump to sign the communiqué, a statement on mutual diplomatic and economic priorities that is as traditional as a goodbye handshake.
“Trump was sitting there with his arms crossed, clearly not liking the fact that he felt like they were ganging up on him. He eventually agreed; he said OK, he’ll sign it,” Bremmer said. “At that point, he stood up, he put his hand in his pocket — his suit jacket pocket — and he took two Starburst candies out, threw them on the table, and said to Merkel: ‘Here, Angela. Don’t say I never give you anything.'”
WATCH: @IanBremmer describes exchange between Chancellor Merkel and Pres. Trump at #G7 summit: “He stood up, he put his hand in his pocket… and he took two Starbursts candies out, threw them on the table and said to Merkel, ‘Here, Angela. Don’t say I never give you anything.'” pic.twitter.com/LfTWerxsNK
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) June 20, 2018
That “Dynasty”-level dialogue was par for the course, as Trump’s participation in the summit played out like an extended tantrum on the world stage. He arrived late, forcing a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron to be hastily rescheduled; left early for his poorly received summit with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un; and tweeted attacks on Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau en route.
Bremmer added that US allies were “extraordinarily disheartened” at the situation, and Trump did not want to attend the G7 at all but was convinced to by advisers at the last minute.
Trump has been criticized for systematically alienating the United States’ traditional allies — the G7 nations including Canada, Germany and the UK — and exalting its historical foes, including Russia and North Korea.
