Trump or no, the US will continue to lead

THE growing tensions between the United States and its allies were exposed during the meeting of the Group of Seven (G-7) industrial nations in Charlevoix, Quebec, over the weekend, and on the eve of President Donald Trump's historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore this week.

In angry comments before and during the G-7 meeting, leaders raised objections to Mr Trump's decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from Canada, Europe and Mexico, supposedly for national security reasons. French President Emmanuel Macron, called the tariffs "illegal". And Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blasted the notion that his country was a national security threat to its neighbour, describing it as "insulting and unacceptable".

But the dispute over the metal tariffs has been just the latest in a series of clashes between the proponent of the "America First" agenda in the White House and America's partners over economic and strategic issues. These included Mr Trump's decision to pull out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, of the Paris climate agreement and of the Iran deal. Then on the eve of the summit, came his controversial appeal to re-admit Russia into the G-7 club, rejected by all the other members.