QUEBEC CITY, Canada — President Donald Trump on Monday issued a stark warning on social media urging the immediate evacuation of Iran’s capital, Tehran, as he attended the G7 summit in Canada, further inflaming international concerns over an escalating crisis in the Middle East.
In the post, Trump reiterated his long-standing opposition to a nuclear-armed Iran, writing in all caps: “IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON.” He followed the message with a blunt admonition referencing last week’s Israeli military strikes on Iranian targets: “They should have signed the deal I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life.”
The post concluded with a dramatic call to action: “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
Trump’s statement, broadcast to millions of followers via his proprietary social platform, appeared to warn of either imminent military escalation or severe consequences for Iran’s continued nuclear development — though no direct threat or specific intelligence was disclosed.
The message comes amid the worst flare-up between Israel and Iran in years. Israel last week launched precision strikes that killed multiple senior Iranian military and intelligence officials, including the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard intelligence division. The Iranian government has since vowed retaliation, raising fears of a broader regional war.
Tehran, a city of nearly 10 million residents, has remained on high alert as tensions with Israel and the West intensify. There was no immediate response from Iranian authorities to Trump’s evacuation directive, but the post quickly went viral across Middle Eastern and global news networks.
In recent days, Trump has repeatedly emphasized that the United States will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. While he has not specified what actions the U.S. would take, Monday’s post marks the most explicit public warning directed at Iranian civilians since the conflict began to escalate.
However, his statement was made independently of any official U.S. government communication, raising questions about coordination with diplomatic and defense officials.
Trump’s latest post adds a new layer of unpredictability to an already volatile situation. Analysts say the warning may be intended to increase psychological pressure on Iran’s leadership or galvanize international opinion, though it also risks being interpreted as a provocation or precursor to military action.
“This kind of language carries tremendous weight,” said Robert Malley, a former U.S. envoy on Iran policy. “Whether it’s a bluff, a warning, or a signal of something more serious, it adds urgency to an already explosive conflict.”
As global leaders meet in Quebec for the G7, the focus has increasingly shifted from economic policy to global security, with Iran’s nuclear threat and the specter of full-scale war in the Middle East dominating the conversation.
