United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday drew laughter at the G7 summit in France after joking that he was “the boss” as he walked into the morning session on the final day of the gathering.
Naijaonpoint reports that the three-day summit of world powers, held in the spa town of Evian on Lake Geneva, is being chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron as host.
But Trump, whose presence has dominated discussions and side events at the summit, appeared to playfully assert himself as he entered the meeting room while other leaders were already seated.
“I’m the boss,” Trump said as he strode into the session.
Macron, who appeared to take the remark in good humour, smiled and asked the US president, “How are you?”
“Good, thank you,” Trump replied before taking his seat.
Trump, a former businessman and television personality who hosted The Apprentice, a show famous for the catchphrase “You’re fired!”, has remained a central figure at the summit.
His arrival in France came shortly after he clinched an accord to end the war with Iran and celebrated his 80th birthday, developments that further placed him at the centre of global attention during the meeting.
The summit brought together leaders of the world’s major industrialised democracies to discuss global security, trade, diplomacy and other international issues.
Although Macron is the official host of the summit, Trump’s presence and remarks have repeatedly drawn attention from diplomats, journalists and observers.
French officials are expected to be satisfied that Trump remained at the summit until the final day and signed on to the G7 communique.
His decision to stay for the entire event contrasts with the previous G7 gathering in Canada, where he left early, causing diplomatic tension among member states.
The signing of the communique is also seen as a diplomatic relief for France, which had worked to keep all participating leaders aligned despite differences on major international issues.
In an unusual gesture, Macron invited Trump to dinner at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris after the summit winds down on Wednesday afternoon.
The invitation has attracted attention because of the symbolic importance of Versailles and the close scrutiny of Macron’s handling of relations with the US president.
However, Macron, who has faced pressure to show that he is not overly deferential to Trump, has already said the evening meeting would not be a “gala” dinner.
The French president’s clarification appeared aimed at managing domestic and international perceptions of the invitation.
The G7 summit is expected to close later on Wednesday, with leaders hoping to present a united front despite differences over global conflicts, diplomacy and economic policy.
