Donald Trump arrived at the G7 summit in the Canadian Rockies hoping to reaffirm his role on the global stage. But what was meant to be a display of leadership among allies ended in an early departure. The escalating conflict between Israel and Iran—with unpredictable consequences for the region and the world—forced the U.S. president to abruptly change course.

“Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform before urgently leaving for Washington. His words marked a turning point in the U.S. stance: though he maintains that the United States was not involved in the initial Israeli strikes, his administration can no longer look the other way. American troops remain in a "defensive posture," but the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier is now en route to the region.

War versus diplomacy

The conflict has entered its fifth night of cross-border attacks. Israel, in an unprecedented offensive, targeted Iran’s nuclear and military facilities. According to Tehran, at least 224 people have been killed, including senior commanders and scientists. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left no doubt about his intentions: “We are changing the face of the Middle East.”

Iran responded with missile attacks on Tel Aviv, Haifa and Petah Tikva. In the latter, a family barely saved their four children. Iranian state television was bombed live on air while criticizing Israel. From that moment, propaganda itself became a military target. The war is being fought not only on the battlefield, but also in the media and across digital platforms.

The escalation has silenced ongoing nuclear talks. Tehran, which had been engaged in indirect negotiations with Washington, now insists it will not return to the table under fire. Still, a senior U.S. official told AFP that Trump personally intervened to stop an Israeli attempt to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Whether it was a move to preserve a diplomatic channel or to avoid a larger disaster remains unclear.

A divided G7 without a joint declaration

The G7 summit revealed just how difficult it will be for the world’s major democracies to maintain a unified stance. France and Japan condemned the Israeli attacks even as diplomacy continued. French President Emmanuel Macron was blunt: forcing regime change in Iran would be a “strategic error.”

The UK, Canada, Italy, and Germany avoided direct condemnation but acknowledged the real risk of escalation. “It will be up to the Americans to decide,” said a spokesperson for the German government. No joint declaration was issued—too much internal conflict, too many external tensions.

China, meanwhile, urged its citizens to leave Israel “as soon as possible” while calling on both sides to halt the violence. The warning underscored a growing global fear: this conflict is no longer just about Iran and Israel, and pressure is mounting on Washington.

Between tariffs and missiles

Ironically, Trump had arrived at the G7 with a different war in mind: the trade war. With new tariffs scheduled for July 9, he sought to renegotiate the rules of global commerce. Some allies, like the UK, signed new agreements. Others, like France and Italy, pushed back. According to AFP sources, European leaders worry that China is exploiting the divisions provoked by U.S. trade policy.

But Trump’s early exit left those economic matters unresolved. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum had been invited as a gesture toward the North American free trade bloc (USMCA). Her meeting with Trump was canceled.

The U.S. ambassador to Israel confirmed that a building near the embassy in Tel Aviv suffered minor damage. The State Department urged Americans not to travel to Israel. And as the Nimitz moves closer to the region, the questions multiply: How far is the U.S. willing to go to contain Iran? How much more can it support Israel without being drawn directly into the conflict?

Trump is treading the line between threat and negotiation. “I think it’s stupid of Iran not to sign [a deal],” he said before leaving Canada. But Iran no longer seems willing to negotiate from a place of weakness. Its foreign minister was clear: “Our responses will continue.”

What’s at stake is not just a nuclear agreement. It’s the stability of a historically volatile region—and the role the United States wants to play in the world. This time, Trump’s decisions won’t be measured in tariffs or social media metrics. They’ll be measured in casualties, displacement, and the long-term consequences for an entire generation.

With information from AFP