THE G 6 + ONE

The G7 meeting in Canada was a sad affair. There was Trump (half-heartedly supported by an Italian Sancho Panza) and there were the others, who had to endure the American's fake trade tirades and his renewed kowtow to Russia. Anyway, Trump only dreams of a G3 (USA, Russia, China). He was otherwise too "high" on his Singapore meeting.  He will have a totally different body language there than the one he inflicted on his partners in the G7. He only likes to show off his "car dealer" persona with like-minded autocrats, preferably in a tete a tete format, wherein he is supposed to be able to display the full range of his "art of the deal" bravura. This anti-intellectual president is basically an anti- structuralist. He is too lazy to deal with multilateral formats and engagements which require some attention to gentlemen's rules.

Trump was rude, arriving late, leaving early, and chose to attack yet again, on foreign soil, American presidents before him. His lack of all manners and style is only getting worse since his close handlers now are the hardcore faithful, who carry the banner of populism and anti-globalism. He will be all charm in Singapore, where he is prepared for a photo-op which is the only thing on his  mind.

I wish Europeans would call his bluff but it is almost certain they will wait out the cyclone. They had better prepare for a staged Putin/Trump summit, which is in the making. Eastern Ukraine,  Crimea, gross meddling in US elections have little say in Trump's world. Nobody knows what motivates him in his bromance with Putin, blackmail or envy ? The American avatar lacks any form of sophisticated statesmanship, does not read and cannot find time to build consensus in the US or abroad. He acts as a de facto Putin agent, pushing for the deconstruction of the Western world architecture and the watering down of the European political and defense posture.

America is suffering from a permanent negative overdose. His fake news machine never lets go and the media have become guilty because of their non-stop reporting of the madness of King Donald. Europeans are too polite in this new ice age of manners, trust and truth. There is worse to come since the Democrats act and look like a pack of disoriented geese on migration, and the Republicans stand firm on all that is wrong. I wish a blue wave were coming, I fear that the red grip on power will last for a while. Trump can continue to preach the autocratic gospel, unhindered, until the blind may see again.