Donald Trump has arrived in Kananaskis: Why all eyes are on him at the 2025 G7 summit
Article content
Trump was accompanied by a fleet of identical helicopters, as is standard practice when a U.S. president travels either domestically or internationally.
Article content
Article content
One helicopter carries the president, while the others serve as decoys for would-be assassins on the ground, according to the George W. Bush Presidential Library.
Article content
'Upon take-off, these helicopters begin to shift in formation regularly to obscure the location of the President,' the website says.
Article content
Article content
His arrival has been met with mixed reactions, as some locals expressed excitement over his presence in the wake of separation and 51st state talks, while others showed concern over his ability to enter the country despite his criminal convictions.
Article content
Article content
Welcome to Alberta President Trump! @POTUS 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/OVYSuvuH5l
— Calgary Guy (@cgy_guy) June 16, 2025
Article content
Trump was greeted by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith upon arrival, the two having previously met on her Mar-A-Lago visit. A May poll showed 51 per cent of Albertans want Smith's government to prepare a plan to pursue complete independence from both Canada and the U.S.
Article content
Article content
The leadup to Trump's visit to Alberta for the G7 summit has been tumultuous.
Article content
The president arrived in Canada one day after his birthday, which he spent at a military parade celebrating the U.S. army's 250th anniversary.
Article content
The military parade kicked off in Washington with a 21-gun salute, tanks and troops, as well as helicopters and parachutists, as protesters in hundreds of U.S. cities demonstrated against his use of executive power.
Article content
Article content
Trump, who was serenaded by the crowd for his 79th birthday, was the driving force behind the parade down Washington's Constitution Avenue — which runs behind the White House — that includes a muscular exhibition of 6,600 soldiers, Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles and helicopters. The Army marked its 250th anniversary with a companion all-day event on the National Mall.
Article content
'Every other country celebrates their victories,' Trump said in a speech after the approximately two-hour parade. 'It's about time America did, too. That's what we're doing tonight.'
Article content
The parade is expected to cost $45 million, an estimate that includes potential damage to major District of Columbia streets from heavy tank treads.
Article content
The U.S. last celebrated its military strength in similar fashion in 1991 after the first Gulf War. The only other such events celebrated the end of the Civil War and World Wars I and II. While Democratic President John F. Kennedy included military displays in his 1961 inaugural parade, such exhibitions are more common in authoritarian countries such as Russia, China and North Korea. Longtime U.S. ally France also marks its annual Bastille Day with a military parade.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Canada News.Net
3 hours ago
- Canada News.Net
Trump's $9B spending rollback wins approval in narrow House vote
WASHINGTON D.C.: In a rare use of presidential rescission powers, Congress has approved President Donald Trump's request to withdraw $9 billion in previously authorized spending, targeting public broadcasting and foreign aid. The move marks the first time in decades that such a request from a president has cleared both chambers. The House voted 216–213 early Friday to pass the bill, following a 51–48 vote in the Senate the day before. It now heads to Trump's desk for final approval. The cuts eliminate $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and nearly $8 billion from various foreign aid programs. While some Republicans expressed unease with the decision, most backed the measure, citing alignment with Trump's agenda and fiscal priorities. "We need to get back to fiscal sanity and this is an important step," said House Speaker Mike Johnson. Opponents, however, warned of the precedent the move sets. Democrats argued the bill undermines Congress' authority over federal spending and rolls back bipartisan commitments. "No one is buying the notion that Republicans are actually trying to improve wasteful spending," said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Public Broadcasting Faces Deep Cuts The CPB, which provides funding for more than 1,500 local public radio and television stations, will see its funding wiped out for the next two fiscal years. Much of its budget supports programming on PBS and NPR, as well as critical public safety infrastructure. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, one of two Republicans to vote against the bill, noted the vital role of public stations in remote areas. "It is your tsunami alert, it is your landslide alert, it is your volcano alert," she said. During debate, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake off the Alaska Peninsula underscored her point, triggering tsunami warnings broadcast by public radio. While the administration argues the system is politically biased and unnecessary, advocates say the cuts will severely impact rural and underserved communities. Kate Riley, president of America's Public Television Stations, called a proposed stopgap measure "a short-term, half-measure that will still result in cuts." Foreign Aid Programs Slashed The bulk of the rescinded funds target international humanitarian and development efforts. These include $800 million for refugee shelter and family reunification, $496 million for disaster relief, and $4.15 billion for programs promoting economic growth and democracy in developing countries. Democrats criticized the move as short-sighted. "This is not an America First bill. It's a China First bill because of the void that's being created," said Jeffries. The White House defended the cuts as a way to encourage other nations to contribute more, arguing that the rescissions serve U.S. taxpayers. More Cuts Likely Ahead Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought signaled that further rescissions could follow. "We're happy to go to great lengths to get this thing done," he said. "Another rescissions package is likely to come soon."
Vancouver Sun
4 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Trump threatens to hold up stadium deal if Washington Commanders don't switch back to Redskins
CLEVELAND (AP) — President Donald Trump is threatening to hold up a new stadium deal for Washington's NFL team if it does not restore its old name of the Redskins, which was considered offensive to Native Americans. Trump also said Sunday that he wants Cleveland's baseball team to revert to its former name, the Indians, saying there was a 'big clamouring for this' as well. The Washington Commanders and Cleveland Guardians have had their current names since the 2022 seasons and both have said they have no plans to change them back. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Trump said the Washington football team would be 'much more valuable' if it restored its old name. 'I may put a restriction on them that if they don't change the name back to the original 'Washington Redskins,' and get rid of the ridiculous moniker, 'Washington Commanders,' I won't make a deal for them to build a Stadium in Washington,' Trump said on his social media site. His latest interest in changing the name reflects his broader effort to roll back changes that followed a national debate on cultural sensitivity and racial justice. The team announced it would drop the Redskins name and the Indian head logo in 2020 during a broader reckoning with systemic racism and police brutality. The Commanders and the District of Columbia government announced a deal earlier this year to build a new home for the football team at the site the old RFK Stadium, the place the franchise called home for more than three decades. Trump's ability to hold up the deal remains to be seen. President Joe Biden signed a bill in January that transferred the land from the federal government to the District of Columbia. The provision was part of a short-term spending bill passed by Congress in December. While D.C. residents elect a mayor, a city council and commissioners to run day-to-day operations, Congress maintains control of the city's budget. Josh Harris, whose group bought the Commanders from former owner Dan Snyder in 2023, said earlier this year the name was here to stay. Not long after taking over, Harris quieted speculation about going back to Redskins, saying that would not happen. The team did not immediately respond to a request for comment following Trump's statement. The Washington team started in Boston as the Redskins in 1933 before moving to the nation's capital four years later. The Cleveland Guardians' president of baseball operations, Chris Antonetti, indicated before Sunday's game against the Athletics that there weren't any plans to revisit the name change. 'We understand there are different perspectives on the decision we made a few years ago, but obviously it's a decision we made. We've got the opportunity to build a brand as the Guardians over the last four years and are excited about the future that's in front of us,' he said. Cleveland announced in December 2020 it would drop Indians. It announced the switch to Guardians in July 2021. In 2018, the team phased out 'Chief Wahoo' as its primary logo. The name changes had their share of supporters and critics as part of the national discussions about logos and names considered racist. Trump posted Sunday afternoon that 'The Owner of the Cleveland Baseball Team, Matt Dolan, who is very political, has lost three Elections in a row because of that ridiculous name change. What he doesn't understand is that if he changed the name back to the Cleveland Indians, he might actually win an Election. Indians are being treated very unfairly. MAKE INDIANS GREAT AGAIN (MIGA)!' Matt Dolan, the son of the late Larry Dolan, no longer has a role with the Guardians. He ran the team's charity endeavours until 2016. Matt Dolan was a candidate in the Ohio U.S. Senate elections in 2022 and '24, but lost. Washington and Cleveland share another thing in common. David Blitzer is a member of Harris' ownership group with the Commanders and holds a minority stake in the Guardians.
CBC
4 hours ago
- CBC
Tariff deadline approaches, Palestinians killed while seeking aid, 20 years of same sex marriage in Canada, and more
We are now just days away from a trade deal deadline with the United States. Canada has until August 1st to cut a deal. If it doesn't, the Trump-administration is threatening steep tariffs on many Canadian exports. The U.S. commerce secretary says free trade with Canada is alive and well. But even if a deal is struck, it is likely some tariffs are here to stay. Also: It's been one of the deadliest days in Gaza for Palestinians seeking aid. Dozens are dead after a large crowd gathered around a UN convoy carrying food. It comes as Israel's military plans to step up its ground offensive in the territory. And: 20 years ago today, Canada made it legal for same sex couples to get married nationwide. But while legalized same sex marriage is a significant civil rights victory - advocates say the fight for true equality is still ongoing. Plus: Hong Kong businesses targeted for pro-democracy view, empty crown land in B.C., and more.
