France quietly adjusted the calendar for this year’s Group of 7 summit after a very American scheduling conflict popped up in Washington, thanks to Trump.
The global leaders meeting, originally set for June 14 through June 16 in Evian les Bains along Lake Geneva, will now take place from June 15 to June 17. Two officials familiar with the planning confirmed the shift after it became official on the G7 website.
The change follows Donald Trump’s October announcement that the White House would host a large-scale UFC event on June 14. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed to CBS News that plans for the fight are locked in and said the event will bring as many as 5,000 people to the South Lawn.
June 14 already carried weight. It is Flag Day in the United States and also marks Trump’s 80th birthday, making his availability a major factor for allies hoping for full attendance at the summit.
France had not publicly tied the adjustment to the fight. The French president’s office declined to directly confirm the reason for the shift, saying the revised dates were “the result of our consultations with G7 partners.”
A White House official offered a clearer explanation, telling POLITICO, “As the leader of the free world, our partners believed that President Trump’s attendance at the G7 Summit was essential. They kindly shifted dates to accommodate the U.S. president’s schedule.”
Local outlet LeMessager was first to report that the summit could move due to the president’s birthday, a possibility that now appears to have played out.
