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President Donald Trump spent his 22nd week back in the Oval Office participating in the G-7 Summit, while handling the conflict in the Middle East, after Israel launched preemptive strikes on Iran after months of attempted and stalled nuclear negotiations amid renewed concern that Iran was advancing its nuclear program.
The country and the world waited during Trump’s 22nd week back as commander-in-chief to see how the president planned to respond to the crisis in the Middle East.
The week began after the president celebrated his 79th birthday and participated in the massive parade in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States Army on Saturday.
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He then traveled Sunday night to Alberta, Canada, for the G-7 Summit, where he participated in multiple sessions of meetings with allies. The president met with leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the European Union.
But the situation in the Middle East sent the president back to the White House a day early.
Israel’s initial strikes on Iran June 12 were part of its “Operation Rising Lion,” which targeted Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure. The strikes have killed top Iranian military leaders and beyond.
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Iran said the strikes were a “declaration of war,” and launched its own strikes on Israel — with a barrage of missiles hitting the Jewish state throughout the week, with some breaking through the Israeli Iron Dome defense system and causing destruction.
On his way back to Washington, D.C., the president stressed that Iran is “very close” to developing a nuclear weapon.
Earlier in June, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s estimation said that Iranian stockpiles included 60% enriched uranium that could become 90%. And last week, Gen. Erik Kurilla, the U.S. Central Command chief, ahead of Israel’s preemptive strikes, said that Iran has the materials to build a nuclear weapon within one week.
The Trump administration had been engaged in talks with Iran to make a deal on its nuclear program, and the president has urged the Islamic state to make a deal. But the country pulled out of ongoing talks with the United States. The most recent round of talks were scheduled for June 15.
The president, Monday night, before leaving the G7, again said Iran “should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign.”
“What a shame, and a waste of human life,” Trump said. “Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON.”
The president added, in his Truth Social post, that he has “said it over and over again!”
“Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” Trump posted.
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By Tuesday, the president announced that the United States has “complete and total control of the skies over Iran.” He also said that the Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei’s location had been determined.
The president said that Khamenei is “an easy target,” but is “safe” in his hiding spot.
“We are not going to take him out (kill), at least for now,” the president said. “But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.”
As for whether the United States will strike Iranian nuclear facilities, the president said: “I may do it, I may not do it.”
“Yes, I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do. I can tell you this, that Iran’s got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate,” Trump told reporters Wednesday. “And I said, why didn’t you negotiate with me before all this death and destruction? Why didn’t you go? I said to people, why didn’t you negotiate with me two weeks ago? You could have done fine. You would have had a country. It’s very sad to watch this.”
Trump, dating back to his first administration, has said that he refuses to broadcast his military plans ahead of time. The White House said the president would make his decision on how to handle Iran in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement riots that broke out in Los Angeles earlier in June slowed as the president awaited a federal court ruling in California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s lawsuit against the Trump administration for sending in the National Guard without his authority.
Trump, earlier in June, ordered the National Guard to L.A. to aid law enforcement amid the violent protests.
On Thursday night, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled unanimously in Trump’s favor, saying that the president is allowed to keep control of the National Guard troops deployed to Los Angeles. The ruling stayed a lower court order that ordered command of the troops back to Newsom.
A president hasn’t made a decision about the deployment of a National Guard without the permission of the state’s governor since 1965.
Trump, in a post to his Truth Social, praised the Court of Appeals for their decision, touting it as a “WIN.”
“BIG WIN in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on the President’s core power to call in the National Guard!” Trump posted. “The Judges obviously realized that Gavin Newscum is incompetent and ill prepared, but this is much bigger than Gavin, because all over the United States, if our Cities, and our people, need protection, we are the ones to give it to them should State and Local Police be unable, for whatever reason, to get the job done.”
The president added: “This is a Great Decision for our Country, and we will continue to protect and defend Law abiding Americans. Congratulations to the Ninth Circuit, America is proud of you tonight!”
By Friday, Vice President JD Vance traveled to Los Angeles to tour a multiagency Federal Joint Operations Center and a Federal Mobile Command Center.
The vice president also met with leaders of federal law enforcement deployed in Los Angeles, as well as U.S. Marines deployed to the city.
Fox News’ Emma Colton and Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
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