 "Diplomacy or bombs? After leaving G7 early, will Trump’s America get drawn into Iran-Israel conflict?")
It seems that it’s a day for hasty departures. After urging Iranians to “immediately evacuate Tehran”, US President Donald Trump made a quick exit from the G7 summit in Canada on Monday (June 16), telling reporters, I have to be back as soon as I can… I have to be back early for obvious reasons.”
While Trump didn’t clarify what those “obvious reasons were”, it’s quite clear that the escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran — which have now entered Day 5 — is the factor behind Trump’s swift departure from Canada. In fact, even the White House said that Trump “would return to the United States “because of what’s going on in the Middle East”.
And according to a State Department official, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will also be returning to Washington with Trump from the G7 Summit. Moreover, Trump has directed national security staff to convene in the situation room following his exit from the G7 meeting.
But what’s exactly going on? Why did Trump actually leave the meeting of world leaders in Canada? Also what options does the US president have in dealing with Iran?
Trump’s exit from G7
Expected to remain in Canada until late Tuesday, Trump by midday on Monday began to signal that his attention was elsewhere — namely the Israel-Iran crisis. And then within hours, the US president announced that he was cutting short his Canada visit with the White House saying “because of what’s going on in the Middle East.”
Notably, his hasty departure from the G7 meeting came shortly after news emerged that he had signalled his intention of not signing the joint statement drafted by G7 leaders calling for de-escalation between Israel and Iran.
Incidentally, this isn’t the first time that Trump is leaving the G7 summit earlier. In 2018, coincidentally also hosted in Canada, Trump left the gathering to meet with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un. At the time, he left Quebec and flew to Singapore where he met Kim for talks about North Korea’s nuclear programme.
Trump wasn’t the only leader to leave the G7 Summit. His Secretary of State Marco Rubio also left the G7 Summit. Also, multiple news outlets reported that Trump has requested the National Security Council to convene in the Situation Room — with many analysts wondering aloud what could be the reason for this.
Trump’s dire warning for Iran
While Trump’s exit from the G7 has grabbed headlines across the world, it’s his message on his own social media account that has got everyone really talking. As he made his way back to Washington, Trump wrote on Truth Social, “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!” However, he gave no reason or warning as to why.
Many note that Trump’s message was actually a pressure tactic to come to the negotiating table as its tit-for-tat with Israel continues. In fact, the US president, as per reports, have directed members of his team to attempt a meeting with Iranian officials as quickly as possible to resolve its conflict with Israel.
French President Emmanuel Macron said, “There is indeed an offer to meet and exchange. An offer was made especially to get a ceasefire and to then kick-start broader discussions,” Macron told reporters at the G7. “We have to see now whether the sides will follow.”
The French president further added, “If the United States of America can achieve a ceasefire, it is a very good thing and France will support it and we wish for it. It is absolutely essential that all strikes from both sides against energy, administrative, and cultural infrastructures, and even more so against the civilian population, cease. Nothing justifies this.”
However, pundits note that Trump’s messaging and actions don’t add up. As Al Jazeera reported that Trump’s move to work on a ceasefire and summoning the National Security Council in the Situation Room are contradictory moves. As the media outlet wrote, “Coming back from Canada could be the ceasefire. It could be something else. It could be US military involvement. The National Security meeting – leaking that it is happening – that could indicate potential US involvement. And, of course, his social media post that Tehran should be evacuated.”
Options before Trump
So, what exactly are Trump’s options now when it comes to the Israel-Iran conflict? Experts and analysts believe that there are three choices that the US president has to choose from — bow to Israel’s pressure and enter the conflict, stay put on the matter or pull back completely.
The first scenario would entail America entering the conflict directly and bomb Iran’s nuclear enrichment facility at Fordo. This nuclear facility can only be reached using America’s biggest “bunker buster” bomb, the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, using American B-2 bombers, according to The New York Times.
As the Times reported, “If he decides to go ahead, the United States will become a direct participant in a new conflict in West Asia, taking on Iran in exactly the kind of war Trump has sworn, in two campaigns, he would avoid.
However, Iran has warned that any US participation would significantly impact any chance of the nuclear disarmament deal that Trump insists he is still interested in pursuing.
The other choice that Trump has is to stay on the current course — holding ground. So far, Trump has maintained that the US is not involved in Israel’s attacks and many pundits note that it should remain like this.
In fact, Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier reportedly told Trump that eliminating Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would end the conflict. However, the US president vetoed the idea over the weekend.
The last option before Trump is to pull back as many of his Maga (Make America Great Again) supporters are demanding. For instance, former news anchor and now podcaster Tucker Carlson has said that there is no benefit to America in entering this war. On Friday, Carlson even wrote that the United States should “drop Israel” and “let them fight their own wars.”
“If Israel wants to wage this war, it has every right to do so,” he continued. “It is a sovereign country, and it can do as it pleases. But not with America’s backing.”
Similarly, Trump loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene posted on X that: “Anyone slobbering for the US to become fully involved in the Israel/Iran war is not America First/MAGA.”
This puts Trump in a precarious position and only time will tell where Trump’s America stands on Israel’s war on Iran.
With inputs from agencies
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