Trump snubs May and launches furious rant at trade allies ahead of G7

Tensions between US President Donald Trump and other leaders of the G7 heightened on Friday ahead of the Canadian summit as French President Emmanuel Macron urged the other six leaders to stand up to American "hegemony".

Trump has angered world leaders with his withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from US allies.

Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau both attacked Trump over the steel issue after a joint meeting ahead of the summit in Quebec.

Trudeau claimed the tariffs were "unilateral and illegal" and added that Trump's actions could end up harming US citizens.

"It is American jobs that are going to be lost because of the actions of this administration," he said.

Macron said on Thursday that if the US did not respect its allies and behaved as if it wanted to be excluded, the rest of the members of the G7 “didn’t mind being six, if needs be”.

“We are all engaged in conflicts in Syria, in Iraq, in the Sahel, in different places in the world. We are allies. Our soldiers stand shoulder to shoulder to defend liberty and our values. You can’t, among allies in this international context, start a trade war. For me it’s a question of principle," said Macron.

Macron called on the other G7 members to resist what he warned was a potential US drift towards “further isolationism and “crude hegemony”.

“The six other countries of the G7 represent a market which is bigger than the American market,” he said.

“I believe in cooperation and multilateralism because I will resist hegemony with all my strength. Hegemony is might makes right. Hegemony is the end of the rule of law.”

Trump responded to both in typical bellicose style, claiming Canada and the EU were harming US industry.

“Please tell Prime Minister Trudeau and President Macron that they are charging the U.S. massive tariffs and create non-monetary barriers. The EU trade surplus with the U.S. is $151 Billion, and Canada keeps our farmers and others out. Look forward to seeing them tomorrow,” responded Trump via Twitter on Thursday.

The White House said in a briefing on Wednesday that Trump would hold talks with both leaders at the summit.

However, unnamed "allies" of Trump and a "senior diplomat" quoted in the Telegraph said he would snub May, adding that he was annoyed at her "frequent demands" and taking advantage of the UK-US relationship.

One said Trump found May to be "too politically correct" and behaves like a "school mistress".

When asked about Trump's view of her before the summit in Quebec, May said: "I just get on and make sure that I'm delivering. That's the job of any politician".