US Hosts G20 Finance Talks on Growth and Pressure on Iran

The G20’s finance leaders are meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, with the US seeking agreement on global growth while increasing economic pressure on Iran. The agenda also includes global imbalances and government debt, but the gathering is taking place under broader political and trade tensions.

Washington holds the rotating G20 presidency this year. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent skipped last year’s meeting in South Africa, which the United States removed from the group. This time, US officials invited Poland, although it is not a permanent G20 member. Brazil’s finance minister will not attend amid tensions with the Donald Trump administration, while Russia’s representative is taking part.

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These are difficult conversations.

A European official, speaking anonymously, criticized the decision not to exclude Moscow, which has been fighting Ukraine since its 2022 invasion. US officials also want the group to address what they call “global imbalances” and prevent economies from pushing excess production and capacity into world markets. The comments echoed criticism of China’s industrial overcapacity, which critics say depresses prices and creates unfair competition. The United States has also raised its trade barriers.

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Not only another troubling attempt by the administration to harm independent journalism, but also an obvious effort to avoid public scrutiny.

“These are difficult conversations,” Josh Lipsky of the Atlantic Council told AFP, referring to the imbalance issue. He said the current US-Canada trade war was damaging unity within the G7 as countries in the wider group tackle similarly contentious subjects. G7 finance ministers are expected to meet separately in Asheville.

The gathering has also drawn attention over press access. Journalists from major US news organizations, including The New York Times and Bloomberg News, did not receive accreditation. A Times representative called the decision an effort to harm independent journalism and avoid public scrutiny. A Treasury representative said nearly 300 media workers from about 10 countries were expected, including a New York Times reporter and journalists from NPR and The Washington Post. Bilateral meetings on the sidelines are also expected to attract attention.

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Media representatives will have broad access to policymakers throughout the event, and that access brings a responsibility to report factual information consistent with established journalistic standards.