Fact Check: "Donald Trump left the G7 Summit in Canada a day early on June 8, 2018, to return to Washington due to ongoing developments in the Middle East."
What We Know
On June 8, 2018, President Donald Trump attended the G7 summit held in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada. During this summit, tensions arose primarily due to disagreements over trade policies, particularly Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, which led to a heated exchange between Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Following these disputes, Trump announced his decision to leave the summit early, stating that he needed to return to Washington due to "very important" developments, which included escalating tensions in the Middle East, specifically between Israel and Iran (BBC, AP News).
Trump's early departure was confirmed by various sources, indicating that he left after a lunch meeting on the second day of the summit, rather than staying for the planned discussions on environmental issues and ocean plastic pollution (BBC, AP News). His exit was framed as a response to the urgent situation in the Middle East, as he expressed concerns over the conflict between Israel and Iran, urging for immediate evacuations from Tehran via social media (AP News).
Analysis
The claim that Trump left the G7 summit early due to developments in the Middle East is supported by multiple credible news sources. The BBC reported on the acrimonious atmosphere at the summit and Trump's decision to retract his endorsement of the joint statement, which was a culmination of the disagreements over trade (BBC). Furthermore, the Associated Press and other outlets corroborated that Trump's departure was indeed influenced by the escalating tensions in the Middle East, particularly the conflict involving Iran (AP News, Reuters).
The reliability of these sources is high; both the BBC and AP News are well-established news organizations known for their rigorous reporting standards. The information provided aligns with the timeline of events and statements made by Trump during the summit, reinforcing the validity of the claim.
Conclusion
The claim that Donald Trump left the G7 Summit in Canada a day early on June 8, 2018, to return to Washington due to ongoing developments in the Middle East is True. The evidence from multiple reputable sources confirms that Trump's decision was influenced by the urgent situation in the Middle East, alongside the contentious atmosphere at the summit regarding trade issues.
Sources
- G7 summit ends in disarray as Trump abandons joint statement - BBC
- Trump to leave G7 summit early due to Middle East situation - Reuters
- Live updates: Trump to leave G7 due to Iran-Israel conflict - AP News
- Trump to cut short G7 visit, citing Middle East - BBC
- What to know about the G7 summit | AP News
