Trump at G7: How Photos of the Same Scene Can Tell Different Stories
Perhaps the most viral photo on the Internet over the past few days has been this shot of President Trump and other world leaders at the G7 Summit between the heads of the world’s 7 largest economies.
Germany’s View
The photo was captured by Germany’s Official Federal Government photographer, Jesco Denzel, and shared with the world through German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Instagram account.
Denzel’s photo immediately went viral, and it was interpreted as showing the tenseness of the G7 summit and Trump’s attitude towards allies.
“The image easily serves as a sort of Rorschach test for our political moment, open to interpretation by anyone, including many with competing agendas and narratives,” The Atlantic writes. “A number of folks online observed that Trump looked like a defiant child, and Merkel stood in a dominant position.”
US National Security Advisor John Bolton, himself appearing in the photo, offered a different take on the exact same photo:
Just another #G7 where other countries expect America will always be their bank. The President made it clear today. No more. (photo by @RegSprecher) pic.twitter.com/emAVNqRqhc
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) June 9, 2018
But what’s interesting are the alternative narratives that emerge through the photos chosen by other countries represented in the photo.
The United States’ View
Trump’s social media director, Dan Scavino Jr., shared this photo showing what the scene looked like from a completely different angle. Trump is portrayed as being at the center of the action, and smiles can be seen on the faces of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe:
A look at negotiations, from behind the scenes at the #G7Charlevoix Summit. pic.twitter.com/2LdJAgt6fE
— Dan Scavino Jr. (@Scavino45) June 9, 2018
Canada’s View
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s official photographer, Adam Scotti, understandably focused on Trudeau (the host leader this year) and his role in facilitating the discussions among the other world leaders.
A late night and early morning @g7 in #Charlevoix #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/ZlMnt2IGJO
— Adam Scotti 🇨🇦📷 (@AdamScotti) June 9, 2018
Update: Scotti tells PetaPixel that he also captured this view of Trump speaking with Merkel (a larger set is here):
Italy’s View
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte tweeted a photo showing him reading papers in front of French President Emmanuel Macron and Merkel. Only some of Trump’s hair can be seen in the shot.
Seconda giornata qui al #G7 in Canada dove sto continuando a lavorare per rappresentare e difendere gli interessi degli italiani. Ecco un breve aggiornamento dal #G7Charlevoix: https://t.co/sGXpHhFPFt pic.twitter.com/bPQACttkkU
— GiuseppeConte (@GiuseppeConteIT) June 9, 2018
France’s View
Macron’s tweeted photo focuses on Macron in the center of world leaders as he speaks to Trump:
#G7Charlevoix, deuxième jour : une nouvelle étape est franchie.
Après une longue journée de travail et de dialogue très direct, nous recherchons activement un accord ambitieux. pic.twitter.com/tBy2ZUg2v8— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 9, 2018
“The G-7’s power it seems, lies in the angle of beholder,” Bloomberg writes.
One scene, many takes. It’s like Rashomon on the stage of world politics.
Image credits: Header photo by Jesco Denzel/German Federal Government
