At a Canadian mountain retreat, some of the U.S.’ closest allies tried to divine over private conversations and public interactions where Secretary of State Marco Rubio really stands vis-a-vis his boss.
It was no easy feat. The top U.S. diplomat had to contend with President Donald Trump’s moves to impose 25% tariffs on global steel and aluminum, the threats of 200% tariffs on European alcohol and the insistence that Canada become the 51st state.
The setting — Charlevoix, Quebec for a meeting of the group’s foreign ministers — amped up the tension even further. This is where Trump ripped up the G7 communique back in his first term.