LA MALBAIE, Quebec (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump at the Group of Seven summit (all times local):
5:15 p.m.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is insisting that a renegotiated trade agreement covering the U.S., Canada and Mexico will not include a sunset clause.
President Donald Trump said hours earlier Saturday that negotiators are “pretty close on the sunset provision.”
Trudeau commented as he closed a summit of the world’s leading economies being held in Quebec.
Trudeau says a trade deal that expires automatically every five years is not a trade deal. He says he’s opposed to an expiration date of any length.
Trump has long said the North American Free Trade Agreement has been a “disaster” for the U.S. and has insisted that it be renegotiated.
Talks have been underway for some time, but have stalled.
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4:45 p.m.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says all countries attending the Group of Seven summit have signed a joint communique despite sharp trade tensions with the U.S.
Trudeau says the U.S., Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Japan figured out “consensus language” they could all agree to.
U.S. President Donald Trump recently slapped tariffs on Canada, Mexico and the European Union, angering his counterparts before he arrived at the summit. Some had predicted it would be difficult for all the leaders to reach any kind of consensus because of the sharp disagreements.
But Trudeau says what the leaders did this weekend was “roll up our sleeves” and figure out language they could agree to on a broad range of issues.
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11:15 a.m.
President Donald Trump is defending his decision to constantly bash the press — both at home and on foreign soil — as he participates in his first solo news conference in more than a year.
Trump told reporters in Quebec before leaving the Group of Seven summit that he “came up with the term fake news” because much of the U.S. press “is very dishonest.”
Trump said there are “some folks” in the news business who “are with the U.S. and the U.S. citizens, proud citizens” and some of the “most outstanding people I know.”
But he said so many “are unbelievable dishonest.”
Trump’s tactic of lashing out at reporters and labeling unflattering stories he doesn’t like as “fake” has been repeated by many world leaders, especially from autocratic and dictatorial governments.
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10:55 a.m.
President Donald Trump is pushing back on the idea that the U.S. is increasingly isolated on the world stage under his presidency, insisting his relationship with fellow word leaders is “a 10.”
Trump criticized the premise of the question, which came from CNN during a G-7 news conference. He bashed “fake news CNN” as “the worst.”
Trump said: “I would say the level of relationship is a 10. We have a great relationship” with the leaders of nations like Canada.
He said he doesn’t blame other countries for forging what he says are terrible trade deals with the U.S. He blames past U.S. leaders, but warned that, “if it’s not going to change, we’re not going to trade with them.”
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10:45 a.m.
President Donald Trump says the U.S. will either do a three-way free trade deal with Mexico or Canada or direct deals and says there will be a “sunset clause” that will allow for the deal or deals to be reopened at a later date.
Speaking before leaving the G-7 summit in Quebec, Trump said one of the countries is agreeable to it while the other is more concerned about the impact a sunset clause would have on long-term investment. Canada has been adamant it won’t agree to such a clause.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had hoped to visit Washington last week to complete what he thought would be the final stages of the NAFTA renegotiation. But Vice President Mike Pence called and demanded he agree to a clause that would end NAFTA unless the three countries agreed to extend it every five years.
Trudeau refused and NAFTA talks stalled.
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10:40 a.m.
President Donald Trump says re-admitting Russia to a club of industrialized nations would be good for all countries.
Trump says Russia’s return as a member of the Group of Seven would be “an asset.”
Led by the U.S., the group kicked out Russia in 2014 over its annexation of Crimea and its support for pro-Russia separatists in Ukraine. Trump called for Russia’s reinstatement to the group before he arrived at the annual summit taking place in Quebec.
Trump repeated the call on Saturday, saying “we’re looking for peace in the world.” He says “we’re not looking to play games.”
Trump says he has not spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a while.
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10:35 a.m.
President Donald Trump is issuing a stern warning to foreign countries not to retaliate against U.S. tariffs on the imports of steel and aluminum. The president says at the Group of Seven summit: “If they retaliate, they’re making a mistake.”
Trump says he spoke with world leaders about his trade policies and called for the elimination of tariffs, trade barriers or subsidies. He says: “That’s the way it should be.”
The president says the U.S. is “pretty close” to an agreement on the North American Free Trade Agreement and discussing two types of sunset provisions in which any of the countries could leave the deal.
Trump says they will either have a better agreement on NAFTA or two deals involving separate trade deals with Canada and Mexico.
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10:20 a.m.
President Donald Trump is delivering a statement from the Group of Seven summit in Quebec, saying he had a successful set of meetings in which he discussed the need for “fair and reciprocal” trade and ways of addressing the threat of Iran.
Trump is telling reporters that he told world leaders that the U.S. will take whatever steps necessary to prevent unfair foreign trade practices.
The president has angered Canada, Mexico and European countries with his recent decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
Trump pulled out of President Barack Obama’s landmark nuclear accord with Iran over the objections of European allies.
Trump says he will depart shortly for Singapore on a “mission of peace.” Trump will be meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for a historic summit.
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9:55 a.m.
The White House says President Donald Trump will deliver a statement before departing a meeting of industrialized nations in Canada.
Trump is scheduled to address the U.S. news media at 10 a.m. EDT on Saturday. The White House did not say what the president would talk about.
Trump arrived at the Group of Seven summit in Quebec on Friday amid tensions with his counterparts over tariffs the United States recently slapped on Canada, Mexico and the European Union, citing national security risks.
Trump planned to leave the summit before it ends on Saturday to head to Singapore for the next meeting on his schedule — a high-stakes summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
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8:20 a.m.
President Donald Trump has opened his second day at an international summit at a breakfast discussion on gender equality.
Trump arrived late for Saturday’s meeting during the Group of Seven summit of leading industrialized nations being held in Quebec.
The summit host, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, kicked things off without waiting for those he described as “stragglers” to arrive.
Trudeau has made the issue of gender equality a priority for the gathering. He says gender equality must “cut through” everything the G-7 does.
Trump was seated between Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, and Christine Whitecross, a Canadian lieutenant general.
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1 a.m.
President Donald Trump headed into the Group of Seven summit in Canada at odds with allies over U.S. trade penalties. Then he tried to ease tension with friendly banter and vague claims of progress in trade talks.
But details are scant so far, and clear differences are remaining.
At issue are new U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
Trump contends that other countries “have been taking advantage of the United States on trade.”
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