Merkel a 'no' for Trump's in-person G7 summit

German Chancellor Angela Merkel won't attend an in-person summit of G7 leaders that US President Donald Trump has suggested he'll host despite concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, a German government spokesman said Saturday.

Leaders from the Band of Seven, which the USA heads this year, have been scheduled to meet by videoconference in late June after COVID-19 scuttled plans to assemble in-person at Camp David, the US presidential retreat in the state of Maryland. Trump the other day, however, indicated that he could contain the huge gathering after all, "primarily at the White House" but also potentially elements of it at Camp David.

Merkel, a scientist by training, has declined. "As of today, considering the overall pandemic situation, she cannot consent to her personal participation, to a journey to Washington," the spokesman said, confirming an earlier report on the Politico website. "The federal chancellor thanks President Trump for his invitation to the G7 summit," he added.

The 65-year-old chancellor may be the oldest G7 leader after Trump, who's 73. Japan's Shinzo Abe, also 65, is several months younger than Merkel. How old they are puts them at higher risk from the coronavirus. The White House has said it really is putting the huge diplomatic gathering back on the agenda as a "show of strength" when world economies are little by little reemerging from shutdowns. Merkel is the first to give a firm no, while other world leaders have expressed vaguely positive responses. On Friday, the White House said Trump and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had spoken and "agreed on the value of convening the G7 personally in the near future."

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who hosted the 2018 summit, has said any in-person gathering would need to prioritize safety, while a French presidential official said that Emmanuel Macron was "ready to go to Camp David if medical conditions allow."

European Council head Charles Michel, meanwhile, said through a spokesman that he'd attend "if health issues allow." G7 countries Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States take turns organizing the annual gathering. In 2019 it had been France. AMERICA may be the worst-hit country for COVID-19 infections, having logged more than 1,745,000 cases and over 102,000 deaths.