Donald Trump says US could host G7 summit of world leaders next month despite coronavirus

Donald Trump has said he is now considering holding the G7 summit which had been cancelled due to coronavirus, raising the prospect of world leaders being asked to fly into America within weeks.

The annual gathering of the heads of the world's major economies, including Britain, had been due to take place between June 10 and 12 but was disrupted by the outbreak of Covid-19.

Attendance in person at the US president's retreat of Camp David had been scrapped back in March as governments scrambled to put in place measures to slow the spread of the virus.

But in a tweet on Wednesday, Mr Trump suggested that in-person meetings could be back on, arguing that with lockdowns beginning to lift the rescheduling could inspire hope.

“Now that our country is ‘transitioning back to greatness’, I am considering rescheduling the G-7, on the same or similar date, in Washington, DC, at the legendary Camp David,” Mr Trump wrote.

“The other members are also beginning their COMEBACK. It would be a great sign to all - normalisation!”

If the original starting date of June 10 was kept that would mean world leaders flying into the US capital in less than three weeks.

Many have been avoiding international travel as they focussed on leading their country’s efforts to tackle the deadly virus.

Mr Trump’s tweet indicated that either Camp David, which is in the state of Maryland, or an undisclosed location in Washington DC could be picked.

Washington DC has a stay-at-home order that is currently due to expire on June 8, though it could be lifted earlier.

As well as America there are six other nations in the G7, which stands for ‘Group of Seven’: Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.

If country leaders were expected to attend that would include Boris Johnson, whose infection with coronavirus was so serious that he was in intensive care until early last month.

Mr Trump had originally planned to hold the annual summit at his private golf course near Miami but that was cancelled after a backlash over whether it amounted to profiting from public office.

The number of Covid-19 cases in America has now surpassed 1.5 million, around five times higher than the country with the second-most cases, Russia. More than 92,000 people in the US have died from the virus.

Mr Trump described the high number of confirmed cases as a “badge of honour” on Tuesday, arguing that it reflected the scale of testing America was doing.

“When we have a lot of cases, I don't look at that as a bad thing,” Mr Trump said to a reporter during a cabinet meeting the press were invited to attend on Tuesday afternoon.

“I look at that in a certain respect as being a good thing because it means our testing is much better.”

He went on: “So, I view it as a badge of honour. Really, it's a badge of honour. It’s a great tribute to the testing and all of the work that a lot of professionals have done.”

More than 12.6 million coronavirus tests have been conducted in America, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is far higher than any other country.

However when tests as a proportion of population is looked at, the data from recent days shows the US trailing many other countries including Britain, Spain, Russia and Italy.

Mr Trump’s consideration of rescheduling the G7 summit reflects his enthusiasm for loosening coronavirus restrictions that have helped force up unemployment to record highs.

Now all 50 US states have started to reopen, though some have only taken limited steps and the speed at which rules are relaxed differs markedly.

Mr Trump has continued to defend taking the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine to prevent coronavirus, despite it yet being proven to work.

He has dismissed a study showing it could actually increase death rates among coronavirus patients as “false”, “phony” and a “Trump enemy statement”.

He also lashed out again at Beijing on Wednesday, suggesting it was the “incompetence” of China’s handling of coronavirus and “nothing else” that “did this mass worldwide killing”.

Meanwhile Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, denied he had pushed for the sacking of the State Department’s inspector general - an internal watchdog - because he was being investigated.

Mr Pompeo dismissed as “crazy stuff” the idea that he took action because of probes over asking an aide to walk his dog and a Saudi arms deal, insisting any suggestion of retaliation was “patently false”.