President Donald Trump left the Group of Seven, or G7, Summit late Monday night to focus on the situation in the Middle East.
“President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on X. “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.”
When asked by reporters on Air Force One why he left early, Trump said he had already done everything he had to do at the G7 and needed to switch gears.
As to why he left Calgary, Alberta, early, Trump said, “Just to be a little bit, I think, more well versed, not having to use telephones so much because I don’t believe in telephones, because people like you listen to them.”
Trump said he’d be in the situation room early Tuesday morning.
A U.S. official told Fox News that the USS Nimitz carrier strike group is on its way to the Middle East from the South China Sea.
The president took to TruthSocial on the plane to sort out misinformation about his departure.
“Publicity seeking President Emmanuel Macron, of France, mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go back to D.C. to work on a ‘cease fire’ between Israel and Iran,” Trump wrote. “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. Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong. Stay Tuned!”
When asked what he was looking for specifically, Trump said “An end, a real end, not a ceasefire, a real end.”
The president seeks a “complete give-up” by Iran, he later said.
Trump warned Iran against targeting U.S. assets, saying “we’ll come down so hard, it’d be gloves off.”
“I think they’re know not to touch our troops,” Trump said.
Trump is considering dispatching Vice President JD Vance and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with the Iranians. He said it “depends on what happens when I get back,” adding “I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate” with Iran.