Trump cancels G7 Camp David meeting, to hold video-conference

March 20, 2020 09:24
Donald Trump has decided to drop the in-person meeting of G7 leaders that was scheduled to be held in June at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, opting instead for a video-conference. Photo: Reuters

US President Donald Trump will cancel an in-person meeting of G7 leaders at Camp David in June because of the coronavirus and will hold a video-conference instead, Reuters reports.

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, who also serves as Trump’s G7 “sherpa,” is said to have informed his counterparts about the move.

“In order for each country to focus all of its resources on responding to the health and economic challenges of COVID-19 and at President Trump’s direction, National Economic Council Director and U.S. Sherpa for the 2020 G7 Larry Kudlow has informed his Sherpa colleagues that the G7 Leaders’ Summit the U.S. was set to host in June at Camp David will now be done by video-teleconference,” a White House spokesman, Judd Deere, was quoted as saying in a statement to Reuters.

“The White House also informed the other G7 members that in order to continue close coordination, the President will convene the Leaders’ via video teleconference in April and May just as he did this week,” the spokesman said.

The White House views the change as part of mitigation efforts to fight the virus. Countries normally send large delegations with their leaders to G7 summits, which also see journalists from around the world convene at the locations to cover the meetings.

The G7 is made up of the United States, Italy, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, Britain as well as the European Union.

-- Contact us at [email protected]

RC