Coronavirus: Trump says G7 summit could happen at Camp David – but will leaders come?
- Trump in March cancelled the in-person meeting of G7 leaders, which was scheduled for June
- World leaders cautiously weigh Trump’s new proposal to host them at Camp David in Maryland
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday suggested hosting the annual G7 summit in person rather than by videoconference, with the White House touting the occasion as a “show of force” during the coronavirus pandemic.
Leaders from the Group of Seven, which the United States heads this year, had been scheduled to gather at the presidential retreat of Camp David in June until the coronavirus crisis forced Trump to switch to plans for a remote meeting.
In a tweet, Trump said that recovery from the coronavirus pandemic was now going well enough for possibly holding the huge diplomatic gathering in-person.
“Now that our Country is ‘Transitioning back to Greatness’, I am considering rescheduling the G-7, on the same or similar date, in Washington, D.C., at the legendary Camp David. The other members are also beginning their COMEBACK. It would be a great sign to all – normalization!” Trump tweeted.
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His spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany later said that a face-to-face summit would be a “show of strength and optimism” where leaders would “pursue business as usual as we move forward through this pandemic”.