THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Bal Ram Sampla
The recent G7 summit in Canada exposed serious cracks widened by U.S. President Donald Trump’s reckless and self-serving conduct. When world leaders resisted his attempt to include Russia and China—two authoritarian powers—in what he called a “modernized” G7, Trump stormed out of the summit like a child denied a toy. His actions were not only immature but also dangerously short-sighted, revealing his disregard for the principles that form the very backbone of the G7.
Trump’s justification for leaving the summit was flimsy at best. He claimed he had to address the escalating Israel-Iran conflict, but even this excuse was riddled with contradictions. French President Emmanuel Macron suggested Trump had offered to help negotiate a ceasefire, yet Trump immediately denied it, only to later hint at plans for an even more aggressive outcome. Such erratic messaging made it clear that his sudden exit had little to do with diplomacy and everything to do with ego.
The truth is that Trump left because his proposals were flatly rejected, particularly by Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney, who firmly and skilfully shut down Trump’s attempt to hijack the agenda. Prime Minister Carney wisely learned from Trump’s disruptive behaviour during 2018, when he refused to sign the final communique and blasted the host Trudeau.
Even more troubling was Trump’s proposal to expand the G7 into a G8 or G9 by including Russia and China. He seems to have completely overlooked India!
Russia was expelled from the G8 in 2014 for illegally annexing Crimea and continues to wage war against Ukraine. China, meanwhile, remains an communist regime with a documented history of human rights abuses, censorship, and economic coercion.
Inviting either country into the G7 would be like welcoming a fox into a henhouse—irresponsible, dangerous, and fundamentally wrong.
Trump’s proposal, had it been accepted, would have handed legitimacy to regimes that silence their citizens, attack their neighbours, and undermine global stability.
In conclusion, Trump’s behaviour at the G7 summit was not only undiplomatic—it was a clear insult to the ideals of democracy. His tantrum-like exit, followed by a proposal that contradicted the very mission of the summit, shows he was more interested in theatrics than leadership.
Although G7 behaves like a private club and has many flaws but it must stand firm in its commitment to democracy and refuse to bend to authoritarian appeasement. Anything less would not be reform—it would be surrender.
