Trump to leave G7 summit early, putting damper on first talks with Lee
Published: 17 Jun. 2025, 09:05
Updated: 17 Jun. 2025, 10:31
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- SARAH KIM
- [email protected]
![U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada on June 16. [AP/YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/17/da104319-4e63-4ba9-9f5b-777c52478a6e.jpg)
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada on June 16. [AP/YONHAP]
CALGARY, Canada — U.S. President Donald Trump will leave the Group of 7, or G7, summit in Canada early because of the Middle East situation, the White House said Monday, putting a damper on Korean President Lee Jae-myung's plans to hold his first bilateral talks with the U.S. leader.
Lee arrived in Calgary earlier Monday to take part in the G7 summit and hold a series of bilateral talks with global leaders. He had been expected to hold his first bilateral talks with Trump during his three-day visit to Canada.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump will return to Washington on Monday night to "attend to many important matters."
Leavitt said Trump had a "great day," indicating the intended departure didn't come out of any discord at the summit.
Trump earlier said that people in Tehran should evacuate immediately amid the escalating Israel-Iran conflict.
![President Lee Jae-myung holds a press conference aboard Air Force One en route to Calgary, Canada, to attend the G7 Summit on June 16. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/17/86942586-3b11-4b6e-9701-84df1024a6bd.jpg)
President Lee Jae-myung holds a press conference aboard Air Force One en route to Calgary, Canada, to attend the G7 Summit on June 16. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
The U.S. president reportedly had been expected to return to Washington early Wednesday.
A Korean presidential official told reporters in Canada Monday evening that a bilateral meeting between Lee and Trump had “originally been planned” and that Seoul is "checking the situation” following the sudden White House announcement.
The official also said that there is “concrete progress” regarding a possible first bilateral summit between Lee and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
In a press conference on Air Force One en route to Canada, Lee told reporters that Korea "should not be in a more disadvantageous situation than other countries" when it came to tariff negotiations with the United States. He urged for "mutually beneficial results."
Updated, June 17: Added Korean presidential official's response.
BY SARAH KIM [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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