Trump attends G7 in Canada amid trade tensions, weighs in on Israel-Iran conflict
Washington — At an economic summit of world leaders in Canada Monday, President Trump weighed in on the Israel-Iran conflict, telling reporters Iran would "like to talk, but they should have done that before."
He told reporters as he met with Group of Seven summit host Prime Minister Mark Carney that Iran has "to make a deal." The president confirmed that he's seen messages from Iran, through intermediaries indicating a wish to deescalate.
"They'd like to talk, but they should have done that before," Mr. Trump said. "I had 60 days, and they had 60 days. On the 61st day, I said, 'we don't have a deal.' 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."
Asked what it would take for the U.S. military to get involved in the Iran situation, the president said, "I don't want to talk about that."
The summit, just outside of Calgary, comes as tensions between Israel and Iran boil over, now in their fourth day of open conflict. A draft G7 statement on Iran has been floated, but Mr. Trump does not plan to sign the statement, U.S. officials said. One U.S. official said Mr. Trump will continue to work toward ensuring Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon. The draft statement discusses monitoring Iran, calls for both sides to protect civilians, and re-ups commitments to peace, according to the officials.
The meeting of world leaders is taking place as Mr. Trump's aides and top U.S. officials negotiate with these same allies over tariffs he's imposed. First up on Mr. Trump's schedule Monday was the meeting with Carney, whom Mr. Trump met last month at the White House. The summit will continue into Tuesday.
"The G7 is nothing without U.S. leadership, and your personal leadership, the leadership of the United States," Carney told Mr. Trump.
"We've developed a very good relationship, and we're going to be talking about trade and many other things," Mr. Trump responded.
"I'm a tariff person. I've always been a tariff person," the president said alongside Carney.
After meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Mr. Trump held up what he said was a trade agreement he said he and Starmer had just signed. Starmer said the document implements an agreement on car and aerospace tariffs.
Mr. Trump also held a private, one-on-one meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday, the White House said.
Mr. Trump's attitude toward some U.S. allies as well as the tariffs he's launched throughout the world has made some of the U.S. relationships more tense and has been an undercurrent of the conversations Mr. Trump has on Monday. Mr. Trump's musings to acquire Canada and Greenland have also strained the United States' relationship with Canada.
On Monday, Mr. Trump said he'd consider allowing China to join the group of world leaders and brought up Russian President Vladimir Putin's ouster from the group in 2014 after he invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea.
"Putin speaks to me, he doesn't speak to anybody else," Mr. Trump said, as he stood next to Carney, who appeared to purse his lips and look away periodically as Mr. Trump spoke about Putin. "He doesn't want to talk, because he was very insulted when he got thrown out of the G8. As I would be, as you would be, as anybody would be. It was very insulting."
Carney told reporters his meeting with Mr. Trump was "fantastic."
"We will have open, frank discussions over the course of two days," Carney said in the first session with all seven leaders present. "We might not agree on absolutely every issue. But where we will cooperate, we will make an enormous difference for citizens and for the world, and bring the next era of prosperity, I hope, to the benefit of those we serve."
When Mr. Trump met with Carney at the White House, the newly elected prime minister made it clear that Canada — contrary to Mr. Trump's public musings — is not for sale.
"As a real estate developer, you know, I'm a real estate developer at heart," Mr. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "When you get rid of that artificially drawn line ... when you look at that beautiful formation when it's together, I'm a very artistic person."
Carney interjected, using language he believed Mr. Trump as a real estate developer would understand.
"As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale," Carney said. "We're sitting in one right now, Buckingham Palace that you visited, as well. And having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign the last several months, it's not for sale, it won't be for sale, ever. But the opportunity is in the partnership and what we can build together."
