The Latest on President Donald Trump at the Group of 20 summit (all times local):
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2:15 p.m.
President Donald Trump is talking trade and other hot-button international issues with German Chancellor Angela Merkel — a leader he says is “highly respected by everybody, including me.”
They are meeting during the Group of 20 summit of rich and developing nations being held in Argentina.
Trump and Merkel will discuss trade, the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, and Moscow’s violations of a landmark nuclear arms treaty that Trump plans to exit.
Many in Europe have looked to Merkel as Trump has called into question traditional trans-Atlantic ties with his announcements of trade tariffs, repeated criticism of European contributions to NATO and other issues. Merkel has walked a fine line, criticizing some of Trump’s decisions while emphasizing that a good relationship with Washington is central to her government.
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2:10 p.m.
President Donald Trump says he expressed his “best wishes” to the Bush family after the death of former President George H.W. Bush.
Trump says he spoke with former President George W. Bush and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on Saturday. He praised the elder Bush, who died Friday, as “a high-quality man who truly loved his family.”
He added that Bush’s death “really puts a damper” on his participation at the international Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Earlier Saturday, Trump cancelled a scheduled summit news conference out of respect for the Bush family. Trump has publicly sparred with the political dynasty, clashing on style and substance.
Trump commented while meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who praised the late Bush one of the fathers of German reunification.
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1:15 p.m.
President Donald Trump has ordered American flags to fly at half-staff for 30 days to honor former President George H.W. Bush.
In a proclamation signed Saturday, hours after Bush died, Trump has also designated Wednesday as a national day of mourning. Trump encourages Americans to gather in places of worship “to pay homage” to Bush’s memory.
He adds: “I invite the people of the world who share our grief to join us in this solemn observance.”
Trump hails Bush as “one of America’s greatest points of light,” a reference to one of Bush’s signature phrases about American civic culture.
Trump has mocked the “points of light” phrase, saying at campaign rallies that “I never quite got that one.”
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12:40 p.m.
President Donald Trump is cancelling a planned news conference at the Group of 20 summit in Argentina Saturday, “out of respect for the Bush Family” after death of former President George H.W. Bush.
In a tweet, Trump says he was “very much looking forward” to speaking with the news media before leaving the summit in Buenos Aires “because we have had such great success in our dealing with various countries and their leaders at the G20.”
He adds: “However, out of respect for the Bush Family and former President George H.W. Bush we will wait until after the funeral to have a press conference.”
Trump is scheduled to meet down Saturday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chinese President Xi Jinping before returning to Washington.
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4:45 a.m.
When President Donald Trump sits down for dinner Saturday with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, their table talk will undoubtedly have a global impact.
Trump and Xi will be seeking a way out of a trade war between the world’s two biggest economies, while also saving face for their domestic audiences at home. Trump says: “There’s some good signs. We’ll see what happens.”
The Trump-Xi meeting is the marquee event of Trump’s whirlwind two-day trip to Argentina for the Group of 20 Summit.
Trade analysts and administration officials acknowledge it won’t be easy. The United States and China are locked in a dispute over their trade imbalance and Beijing’s push to challenge American technological dominance.
