EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) 鈥� President is of international gatherings of world leaders, but he changed his tune at this year’s at a French Alpine resort, where he was buoyed by support from his counterparts for his tentative agreement with .
It was an about-face for Trump, who weeks ago had for refusing to join the United States and Israel in bombing Iran to force it to abandon its nuclear aspirations 鈥� and who last year spent only a day at the G7 summit before cutting out early and going back to Washington.
鈥淲e found a great deal of unity here at the G7,鈥� Trump told reporters at the end of the meeting. He said he had heard only positive comments from G7 leaders, who are anxious to see drop in the wake of hostilities.
鈥淭his meeting could not have come at a better time,鈥� he said.
Here are some takeaways from Trump’s trip this week:
Trump finds his fall guy If the Iran deal doesn鈥檛 work out
Trump famously likes to take credit when things work out and avoid blame when they don鈥檛. In the case of the Iran deal, he pointed to Vice President as being most likely to be held responsible if things go south.
While Trump was at the G7, promoting the agreement, which he helped negotiate. He was expected to represent the U.S. at a ceremonial signing in Switzerland on Friday.
Trump was asked by a reporter if there is a scenario in which he looks like a 鈥済enius鈥� if he sends Vance to sign the deal and things work out 鈥� or he if things with Iran ultimately don鈥檛 work out.
鈥淚 like that idea, sure,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淭his way, if it works out, I鈥檓 going to take the credit. If it doesn鈥檛 work out, I鈥檓 blaming JD. You better be careful, JD.鈥�
Leaders sing from same song sheet on Iran, Ukraine
The G7 leaders demonstrated , two issues where Trump and his counterparts have been sharply divided.
France鈥檚 Emmanuel Macron, Italy鈥檚 , Germany’s and the UK鈥檚 all had criticized Trump鈥檚 decision to launch the Iran war without consulting allies. But in a joint statement on the final day of the summit, the leaders welcomed the tentative deal. They even noted 鈥渢he strong leadership of President Trump鈥� made it happen.
Meanwhile, the Europeans managed to get Trump to join G7 leaders in offering 鈥渦nwavering support for Ukraine.鈥�
, and needs to make concessions to Moscow to bring about an endgame.
But the U.S. president joined his fellow leaders to call on countries 鈥渢o increase the delivery of air defense capacities, additional systems and interceptors, and long-range capabilities鈥� to Ukraine and commend Kyiv 鈥渇or its resilience and progress on the battlefield in recent months.鈥�
Mixed messages on China
G7 leaders discussed how with subsidized products and destroying jobs in their countries.
Macron said Beijing is a key source of global economic imbalances, citing what he described as China鈥檚 industrial overcapacity, excessive subsidies and weak domestic consumption.
After the summit, leaders issued a statement saying they were united. 鈥淲e seek to deter and stand ready to take actions, where necessary in a coordinated manner, against economic coercion,鈥� the statement said.
But Trump undercut that message when he spent a portion of his closing remarks thanking China and Russia 鈥� often allies with Iran 鈥� for staying 鈥渘eutral鈥� in the conflict.
Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin 鈥渃ould have made it much more difficult for us鈥� if they got involved. He specifically thanked Xi for not giving or selling weapons to Iran. 鈥淚 just want to thank them,鈥� Trump said, 鈥渂ecause they made it a lot better.鈥�
Talk isn’t cheap
The 鈥渓et鈥檚 chat鈥� informality that鈥檚 been a feature of these gatherings since the first one in 1975 proved its worth 鈥� notwithstanding the carbon costs of flying in the leaders and their entourages, the security to protect them, the protests they attract and the .
By spending nearly three full days with Trump, U.S. allies had ample opportunity to make themselves heard. And the value of that was possibly most evident in their talks on Russia鈥檚 war in Ukraine.
European leaders who now are the chief suppliers of military and to Ukraine felt they鈥檇 made headway in demonstrating to Trump that Ukraine does hold some cards and that Russia isn鈥檛 assured of victory — contrary to what last year. Macron invited Zelenskyy to participate in the summit.
Macron gets Trump to stay for the whole summit
Seems all it took was an invitation to , southwest of Paris, after the summit.
After all, Trump said it himself: He鈥檚 a fan of beautiful things and his only plan was to fly back to Washington after the conference anyway.
He left last year鈥檚 G7 summit in Canada before it was over, but Macron wanted to keep Trump from doing the same thing to him. Their relationship has weathered several ups and downs.
Macron described as a 鈥渃onvivial鈥� occasion meant to celebrate friendship between France and the United States.
French officials noted that Versailles is where King Louis XVI pledged military support to Benjamin Franklin and the American revolutionaries in 1778.
Macron hosted King Charles III and Queen Camilla there in 2023 for the palace鈥檚 400th anniversary, including dinner in the Hall of Mirrors, one of the features of the palace鈥檚 2,300 rooms.
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Superville reported from Geneva. Associated Press writer Collin Binkley in Washington contributed to this report.
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