From awkward diplomatic moments involving Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron to Trump's warnings of further military action against Iran and his uncompromising stance on transgender issues, we examine what these developments reveal about the current balance of power in the West and why Trump appears to be setting the agenda rather than responding to it. Beyond the official meetings, clashes between anti-G7 protesters and police highlight a widening gap between global institutions and a public that is becoming increasingly skeptical of political elites, international governance and the direction of the Western world.