President Trump said Saturday that he would postpone the Group of Seven (G-7) summit until at least September and plans to invite Russia, South Korea, Australia and India.
Trump described the group as “outdated” when he announced his plans during a conversation with reporters aboard Air Force One.
“I don’t feel that as a G7 it properly represents what’s going on in the world. It’s a very outdated group of countries,” Trump said Saturday evening while traveling back from Cape Canaveral, Fla., to Washington, D.C.
The G-7 includes the United States as well as Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom.The annual summit was due to take place in the U.S. this year but the White House said in March it would be hosted via video conference due to the novel coronavirus. The summit was due to take place from June 10-12 at Camp David.
Trump said earlier in May that he was considering holding the annual summit in person again, as states began to loosen restrictions meant to curb the spread of the virus. Still, travel restrictions on the U.S. border with Canada and most of Europe remain, and public health officials have cautioned against holding large gatherings.
Trump has previously said that Russia should be reinstated to the G-7, arguing it would be more “appropriate” to have Moscow at the table. Russia was ousted from what was then the G-8 over its annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014.
Trump spoke by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron earlier Saturday and the two discussed “progress on convening the G7,” according to a White House spokesman. He also discussed the G-7 with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a phone conversation on Friday.
It is unclear whether Trump discussed his plans with either leader.