G20 summit concludes
The G20 summit in Hamburg will wrap up today. World leaders will use the opportunity to pressure US President Donald Trump on matters like free trade and climate change.
Leading the charge on climate change is Angela Merkel, who will work to further isolate Trump in the hopes that the president will make some concessions on the issue. While the president will not re-enter the US into the Paris climate deal, he may be willing to invest more in the US’ renewable energy industry.
Most of this pressure comes in the form of diminishing US influence on topics that extend beyond climate change, such as security and trade—both areas in which Beijing’s influence is growing. An increase in bilateral discussions between Germany and China, on a variety of issues, is a prime example of this.
A weakening of Washington’s global leadership could come at an enormous cost to the Trump administration; it may find itself in an unfavourable position for negotiations on matters it deems important, such as trade and counterterrorism.
