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Trump Calls Canadian Prime Minister, Trudeau A “Hypocrite”

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Trudeau, a "hypocrite" according to Trump

Donald Trump called Justin Trudeau a “hypocrite” on Wednesday at the NATO summit after the Canadian prime minister was caught pretending he was making fun of his American counterpart.

The meeting of the most powerful military alliance on the planet once again derailed on Wednesday, as tensions between allies were rekindled by a statement by Justin Trudeau.

The Prime Minister was filmed pretending to make fun of his American counterpart with French, British and Dutch leaders yesterday at a reception at Buckingham Palace on the sidelines of the international meeting.

Today, Donald Trump treated Justin Trudeau as “hypocritical” after the images were released. He then cancelled the closing press conference of the summit he was to hold before returning to Washington.

The images at the centre of the controversy were shot by British cameras and subtitled by CBC show Emmanuel Macron, Boris Johnson, Justin Trudeau and Mark Rutte chat eagerly with Princess Anne and obviously amused. They surfaced this morning, drawing the attention of all British media – and certainly delegations themselves.

“You could see his team falling from the clouds,” says Justin Trudeau on the images, seeming to refer to a statement by Mr. Trump. As at the last NATO summit, the latter ignored the protocol and used its public appearances with Allied leaders to answer questions from international media.

This Wednesday afternoon, Donald Trump, took advantage of an official photoshoot with German Angela Merkel to respond to Justin Trudeau, calling it “two-faced” (“hypocrite” in French).

“Trudeau is very nice, very kind. But the truth is that I blamed him for not paying 2% [of defense investments] and I guess he is not very happy, “said the US president.

At his own closing press conference, Mr. Trudeau downplayed the importance of his statement. He said he was referring to Trump’s announcement that the next G7 summit would be held at Camp David, which would have surprised the US President’s team.

“We know very well that relations between Canada and the United States are much deeper than just relations between the Prime Minister and the President,” Trudeau said. “But you also know that I have a very productive and even positive relationship with the president.”

This Wednesday, the statements of each others were added to add to the atmosphere of the summit. This one stands in a golf and luxury hotel in the suburbs of London. The meeting was already clouded by several disputes – including Turkey’s intervention in Syria.

At a mid-day press conference, the NATO Secretary General stressed that the solidarity of the allies was “hardened steel”.

“Misunderstandings will always attract more attention than the occasions when we get along. That’s how our open and democratic societies work, I do not complain, “said Jens Stoltenberg. “NATO is delivering results on the merits. […] The rhetoric is not always perfect, but on the substance, we are very good. ”

On the images broadcast earlier in the day, the British Prime Minister asks Mr. Macron: “Is that why you’re late? Mr. Trudeau adds, “He is late because he had an unexpected 40-minute press conference.”

Inaudible in the exchange, Emmanuel Macron had previously met in the afternoon Donald Trump, who had attacked hard on his words about NATO and its willingness to tax US technology companies.

The two leaders had long answered questions from journalists and Emmanuel Macron had said “maintain” his comments on NATO in “brain death”, considered “insulting” by Trump.

In Ottawa, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet said the Prime Minister must explain himself.

“I think that on the eve of Parliament’s work, there is a good chance that he will be asked at least an explanation during a question period and that he himself must tell us the details of this because the interpretation of the media not local, but international, could put him in an embarrassing situation. He has an obligation to provide an explanation, “said Blanchet.

As he prepared Wednesday morning to meet his caucus ahead of Thursday’s return to Parliament, the Bloc leader was cautious when asked whether it was a diplomatic incident.

“It is difficult to use the word diplomatic incident when the person is Donald Trump and he is himself capable of mass production. Now, regardless of the doubts we may have about Mr. Trump’s provisions in relation to his […] position, the fact remains that for the office of President of the United States, there must be some respect and no Do not be fooled by naughty jokes between heads of state when you question the President of the United States. Especially since it is possible that the American population react badly enough to that, “he said.