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Apparently he considers Canada a national security threat but Russia is not. Sure what is interfering and rigging the American Presidential election-and a number of Congressional races besides-next to a country having the temerity to sell aluminum and steel to the United States?

Trump’s ignorance of trade would be funny if it weren’t so alarming and dire. Bookending his attack on our Canadian and European allies with his sudden stated belief that Russia should be back in the G7 and it’s both surreal and it is a great illustration at quid pro quo in action. What’s amazing is in the same breath Trump said Russia belongs back in the G7 he claimed astonishingly that he’s been Russia’s worst nightmare.

Russia was expelled in 2014 following its annexation of Crimea, but Mr Trump said he wanted the country readmitted.”

Sure they made up for annexing Crimea by interfering and rigging an American election.

“The build-up to the meeting has seen major disagreements between the US president and other nations over his imposition of trade tariffs.”

“Mr Trump said he regretted the meeting had shrunk in size, putting him at odds with most other G7 members on yet another issue.”

“You know, whether you like it or – and it may not be politically correct – but we have a world to run and in the G7, which used to be the G8, they threw Russia out. They should let Russia come back in,” he said.

So Trump sees our allies as a threat to national security and Russia as a benign presence evidently.

It was mainly France and Canada v Donald Trump, sparked by Mr Trump’s imposition of steel and aluminum tariffs.

Appearing alongside host leader Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron said: “A trade war doesn’t spare anyone. It will start first of all to hurt US workers.”

For his part Mr Trudeau described Mr Trump’s citing of national security to defend his steel and aluminum tariffs as “laughable”.

UPDATE: Certainly this is yet another case of Trump acting not in American but Russian interests