U.S. President Donald Trump departed the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Canada on Monday evening following a dramatic social media post urging the evacuation of Tehran, as Israeli air strikes intensified in the Iranian capital.
The move prompted speculation regarding potential U.S. involvement in the conflict, which the White House swiftly denied, while French President Emmanuel Macron claimed Washington had initiated a ceasefire proposal—an assertion Trump publicly rejected.
Speaking to reporters before leaving Kananaskis, Alberta, Trump said: “They [Iran] want to make a deal, and as soon as I leave here, we’re going to be doing something. But I have to leave here.” The president did not elaborate further, but posted later on Truth Social: “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” adding, “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.”
Trump’s comments came shortly before the White House confirmed he would be leaving the summit early “to attend to many important matters,” citing the rapidly escalating Middle East crisis. Trump’s departure meant he missed scheduled meetings with several world leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mexico’s newly inaugurated President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Trump also rejected claims by Macron, who had stated on Monday that the U.S. had offered to facilitate a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. “Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that,” Trump wrote online. He further criticised the French president, calling him “publicity seeking” and adding, “Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong.”
The situation in Tehran has deteriorated rapidly since Israel launched air strikes on Thursday evening. Israeli forces now claim control of the airspace above the Iranian capital and have expanded their target list to include non-military infrastructure, including the headquarters of Iran’s state television broadcaster. Footage circulating on Monday showed smoke rising from the state TV building. Israeli authorities have issued several evacuation warnings to civilians in the capital, particularly in neighbourhoods near targeted sites.
Estimates suggest Tehran houses around 10 million residents, with 17 million in the wider metropolitan area. There is no confirmation of how many civilians have been able to flee, and logistical limitations may render a large-scale evacuation impossible in the short term.
Despite the intensifying conflict, U.S. officials have emphasised that American forces remain in a defensive posture. White House spokesman Alex Pfeiffer stated: “American forces are maintaining their defensive posture, and that has not changed. We will defend American interests.”
Iranian officials have accused the United States of supporting Israeli operations, although no formal evidence of direct U.S. involvement has emerged. Washington has not participated militarily in the strikes, but its political alignment with Israel and the content of Trump’s public statements have fuelled speculation regarding back-channel involvement.
Speaking earlier on Monday at the summit, Trump expressed optimism about potential negotiations with Iran. “I think a deal will be signed. I think Iran is foolish not to sign one,” he said, suggesting discussions were ongoing and even hinting at possible in-person meetings.
These remarks stood in contrast to Trump’s subsequent messaging on social media, where he turned his criticism toward media figures—most notably former Fox News host Tucker Carlson—over their commentary on U.S. policy towards Iran. “Somebody please explain to kooky Tucker Carlson that,” Trump wrote, “IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON.”
Tehran denies that it is seeking nuclear weapons and maintains that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, in line with its commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Israel, which is not a signatory to the NPT, is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, though it has never confirmed this publicly.
The United States has repeatedly stated its goal of preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons capability. Trump reiterated this position on Monday, tying it to his broader “America First” doctrine.
The G7 summit, intended to focus on global economic cooperation, climate policy, and geopolitical stability, has been overshadowed by the escalating military situation in the Middle East. A joint statement issued by the participating nations late Monday urged restraint and reaffirmed support for efforts to de-escalate the crisis, though it did not reference Trump’s early exit or his statements regarding Tehran.
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