Trump Arrives Late to G7, Tells World Leaders: ‘I’m the Boss’
President Trump arrived late to the G7 summit and jokingly declared himself "boss" before withdrawing Jay Clayton's intelligence nomination and setting conditions for any future resubmission.
The American president arrived after the session had begun, walking in as the other G7 leaders were already seated and engaged in economic policy talks, according to New York Post. French President Emmanuel Macron greeted him with a friendly acknowledgment, prompting Trump to pause on his way to his seat and make the lighthearted declaration that drew laughter from the assembled heads of state.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had been occupying the American position at the table but quickly stood to allow the president to take his place. Trump’s late arrival came after a busy morning in which he had been active on his Truth Social platform, celebrating Republican primary victories from the previous evening and making a major announcement regarding a key intelligence nomination.
Withdrawal of Clayton Nomination Creates Senate Headache
Hours before scheduled congressional testimony, Trump announced he was temporarily pulling Jay Clayton’s nomination as Director of National Intelligence, a move that has complicated matters considerably for Senate Republicans. The decision permits Trump’s interim selection, Bill Pulte, to continue leading the DNI despite bipartisan concerns about his limited national security credentials.
The president attached several conditions to any future re-nomination of Clayton, including Senate confirmation of his chosen replacement as U.S. attorney, James McDonald, and passage of his voting reform legislation called The Save America Act alongside FISA reauthorization. Trump made clear on Truth Social that FISA renewal would not proceed without his voting bill attached.
Senate Republican Leader John Thune now faces a difficult position. Managing a narrow majority and eyeing the upcoming midterm elections, Thune has already cautioned the president that support for the voting legislation is minimal among senators, and that linking it to the essential FISA reauthorization would likely doom both measures.
Trump Attempts to Control G7 Session
The president’s assertive approach continued during the final day of meetings among leaders from France, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Japan. When Macron moved to open the morning session, Trump interrupted and invited assembled media representatives to remain for the discussions. French officials, however, swiftly removed the press from the room. As journalists departed, Trump could be heard commenting on the room temperature.
Relations Improve During Three-Day Summit
Despite tensions preceding the gathering, the summit appears to have strengthened ties between Trump and his counterparts. All leaders expressed support for his Iran agreement, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz presented him with a belated birthday present in the form of a soccer jersey customized with “Trump” and the number 47.
The leaders achieved consensus Tuesday on supporting Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. Trump even conducted an unscheduled bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and agreed to proceed with weapons sales to Kyiv.
With information from New York Post
