Trump is leaving the G7 early to focus on the Middle East
CALGARY, Alberta — President Trump is leaving the G7 in Canada early to return to Washington to focus on the Middle East, the White House said.
Trump will leave Canada Monday night after having dinner with the G7 leaders, his press secretary Karoline Leavitt, said. He had originally been slated to leave Canada on Tuesday evening.
“Much was accomplished, but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State,” Leavitt said on social media.
The announcement came shortly after Trump posted a dire warning on social media. “Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life,” Trump said. “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
Trump was expected to take the customary photo with other G7 leaders before attending the dinner.
Earlier in the day, he met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to wrap up details on the trade deal they announced last month. Trump also met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and they discussed trade issues.
But the Iran-Israel strikes loomed over the meetings. Trump told reporters he had been in “constant touch” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and reiterated that Iran needed to agree to end its nuclear program. Asked whether he wanted to see regime change in Iran, Trump said: “I want to see no nuclear weapon in Iran, and we’re well on our way to making sure that happens.”
Trump told reporters that Iran has sent messages through intermediaries that it wants to deescalate the conflict with Israel.
“They’d like to talk, but they should have done that before,” Trump said.
“They have to make a deal. And it’s painful for both parties, but I’d say Iran is not winning this war, and they should talk and they should talk immediately before it’s too late,” Trump said.
Stefan Kornelius, a spokesman for the German government, told reporters traveling with Trump that other G7 leaders had been trying to craft a joint statement on the Middle East — but that it would be “up to the American side” to decide whether that statement would come to fruition.
This is a developing story.
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