'Aggressively Dumb': Netizens Fact-Check Trump's Claim That Trudeau, Obama 'Threw' Russia Out Of G8

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Several netizens fact-checked US President Donald Trump's claim on social media that former President Barack Obama and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau“threw” Russia out of the G8.

Speaking at the Group of Seven (G7) meeting on Monday, Trump said,“The G7 used to be the G8. Barack Obama and a person named Trudeau didn't want to have Russia in.”

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“And I would say that was a mistake, because I think you wouldn't have a war right now if you had Russia in and you wouldn't have a war right now if Trump were president four years ago,” Trump said.

Trump said Monday that Putin was“very insulted” by the G8 expulsion and that if Russia were still a member, "you wouldn't have a war right now."

Obama and other world leaders had suspended Russia's membership in the G8 in 2014 in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea.

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Calling Trump "aggressively dumb", a social media user said Trump' claim was wrong. He said, "Trudeau wasn't even prime minister back then, Stephen Harper was."

The person also pointed that“the decision wasn't made by one or two people either. It was a unanimous action by all G7 nations after Russia invaded and annexed Crimea.”

Another user hit out at Trump, saying,“Trump just blatantly lied about other G7 leaders kicking Russia out of the organization. Russia was kicked out of the G8 after they invaded Crimea in 2014...”

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Meanwhile, another person commented that“Russian membership in the group would not have prevented Putin's war against Ukraine. He [Putin] launched the first phase of that war as a G8 member in 2014 .”

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Trump left the G7 summit, happening in Canada, early on Monday as he hinted of greater involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict after issuing an ominous warning for the capital Tehran to evacuate.

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