Donald Trump's garbled remarks to reporters fail to address G7 summit U-turn
Donald Trump, US President, has departed the G7 summit a day early, after declaring Tehran should be evacuated "immediately" amid the conflict between Iran and Israel
Donald Trump spoke to reporters for the first time following his shock decision to leave the G7 summit early.
Yet the US President failed to offer journalists any clear explanation about what he intended to do upon arriving at the US ahead of schedule. Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary, had said the move to dodge the rest of the meeting was "because of what's going on in the Middle East."
When interviewed in Banff, Canada, on Monday evening (local time), Mr Trump insisted it was "very important" he returned to the White House. However, he could offer nothing further to explain the mystery around his sudden move, a consequence of which is that he will miss an encounter with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.
Footage played on Fox News shows Mr Trump stood awkwardly alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The Republican President says: "I have to back, it's very important... I want to just thank our great host," before turning to face Mr Carney. He adds: "You've done a fantastic job, thank you."
Facing the journalists, Mr Trump continues: "You probably see what I see, and I have to be back as soon as I can. I will have dinner with these wonderful leaders and then I get on the plane, as I have to be back early."
Despite repeating "I have to be back", Mr Trump doesn't detail why in the short clip, shared on Twitter or X, as it is now known. At the end of the video, one reporter is heard asking the politician: "Is there a reason, Mr President?" The clip ends but it is thought Mr Trump gave no direct response to this.
Midway through the sequence, Mr Trump, 79, insists "we got a lot done" before looking either side of him at his fellow world leaders. He eventually reminds reporters he and Keir Starmer signed a trade deal as he glances at our Prime Minister. The camera zooms out to include Mr Starmer in the frame.
"We got a lot done. Didn't we get a lot done? In fact, with the UK, we signed a big trade deal today and we are working on others, but we had just a really great relationship with everybody and it's really nice. I wish I could stay for tomorrow but they understand. This is big stuff," the Republican President adds in the clip.
He had earlier on Monday declared Tehran, Iran's capital, should be evacuated "immediately." The former businessman warned Tehran needs to curb its nuclear programme before it's 'too late.'
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