• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

US president to leave G7 early, White House attributes to rising Middle East tension

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Jun 17, 2025 11:08 AM

US President Donald Trump is leaving the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada a day early, citing the situation in the Middle East, US media reported on Monday, quoting the White House.

"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," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on X.

While taking a G7 family photo before his departure, Trump told reporters that he has to "be back," according to Fox news.

Israel and Iran attacked each other for a fifth straight day on Tuesday, and Trump urged Iranians to evacuate Tehran, citing what he said was the country's rejection of a deal to curb nuclear weapons development, Reuters reported.

"Iran should have signed the 'deal' I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social media platform, according to Reuters.

According to the Reuters report, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Trump's early departure was positive, given the immediate objective was to get Israel and Iran to agree to a ceasefire.

In addition to reasons related to the situation in the Middle East, Trump's early departure has sparked other interpretations.

The CNBC wrote that "the G7 has struggled to find unity over conflicts in Ukraine and between Israel and Iran.

Speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney earlier, Trump said the former Group of Eight had been wrong to kick out Russia in 2014. "This was a big mistake," Trump said, per CNBC.

Though Trump stopped short of saying Russia should be reinstated in the group, his comments had raised doubts about how much Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy can achieve when he is schedule to meet the leaders on Tuesday, according to CNBC.

In addition, the summit had already generated a degree of division in the few hours Trump attended, according to media reports.

Trump signaled his intention to not sign a joint statement drafted by G7 leaders calling for de-escalation between Israel and Iran, according to a person familiar with the matter, though officials preparing the document held out hope that he could eventually be convinced to add his name, according to CNN.

European officials were holding out hope that Trump's mind could be changed on the joint statement, but they acknowledged his veto would scuttle hopes of demonstrating consensus on the issue, per CNN.