WEB DESK
US President Donald Trump has said that the United States cannot afford to lose a trade war when it is being “ripped off.” Trump took to Twitter after Group of 7 finance leaders reacted sharply to new US tariffs.
Trump tweeted, “When you’re almost 800 Billion Dollars a year down on Trade, you can’t lose a Trade War!”
Washington imposed levies on steel and aluminum imports from the European Union, Canada and Mexico last Friday.
French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said the participants had tense discussions, describing the meeting as “far more a G6-plus-one than a G7.”
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told a news conference after the meeting that the US has very broad objectives concerning rebalancing the trade relationship.
The dispute is likely to be carried over to the G7 summit, which starts on Friday. Leaders are expected to discuss ways of preventing countries from adopting protectionist measures.