Argentine president: "Trump almost didn't want to come" to G-20 Summit; had to ask "as a friend."

[sandensea]

Speaking in a local news interview yesterday, Argentine President Mauricio Macri recounted that his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump "almost didn't want to come" and that he had to be persuaded to come "as a friend."

Last week's G-20 Summit was held on November 30 and December 1 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

According to Macri, at one point he had to ask Trump: "Are you my friend?"

To which Trump replied: "Yes, I'm your friend. That's why I'm coming to the G-20."

"He almost didn't want to come," Macri noted, adding that he told Trump that "you know it's important to me that you come."

"Yes, yes. I'll come," Trump assured him.

"And if you come," Macri said to have pleaded, "you have to help me so that it turns out well - so that we have a declaration."

The two leaders have reportedly known each other since at least 1984, when Trump bought the former Lincoln West development (now Riverside South) in Manhattan from Macri's father.

Macri claimed in later interviews that Trump forced the elder Macri to sell it to him by cajoling New York authorities and local banks to boycott the project. They nevertheless, by his own account, later became friends.

"With Donald, I'm lucky I've known him for over 30 years," Macri explained. "I asked him as a friend."

At: https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pagina12.com.ar%2F159883-macri-y-su-amigo-donald

Argentine President Mauricio Macri and his reluctant guest.

[htuttle]

1. Any other president

...would simply have attended because it was their job.

[sandensea]

2. But Cheeto's like an overgrown child

You have to placate him and cajole him.

I bet Macri had to take him out for ice cream later (the ice cream in Buenos Aires is amazing).

[TeamPooka]

7. two scoops!

[sandensea]

8. Bazinga.

[canetoad]

3. Trump doesn't have friends

He only knows people.

[lunatica]

4. And only people he can use

Otherwise you ain’t no friend to Trump!

[gratuitous]

5. Bet you're re-thinking that strategem aren't you, Mauricio?

Next time you're thinking of inviting a dog in that isn't house-broken, think on this little episode.

[sandensea]

6. You would think. But Macri, unfortunately, is another doctrinaire right-winger.

He adopted Bush-style policies three years ago, and is now dealing with a Bush-style collapse.

And he was absolutely certain Trump would come to his rescue with some massive Treasury Dept.-funded bailout.

But all he got was Trump's support for an IMF credit line - which is worse than nothing at all due to the economy-crushing conditions they impose (austerity, sky-high interest rates, etc.).

He only has a year left in his term though - which may be more than his friend Donald has.