Trump Walks Out of G7 as Tehran Burns | Global Unity Fractures in Real Time

Doctor Chelsea McGee

Hey everyone, welcome back to The Real 4-1-1. I’m Dr. Chelsea McGee, and, wow, what a week. If you’re tuning in for the first time, this is where we cut through the noise and get to what’s really going on—because, let’s be honest, the story is never just the headline. Today, we’re diving into a summit that went completely sideways and a world that, honestly, feels like it’s on fire—sometimes literally. We’re talking about the G7, which was supposed to be about global unity, but instead, it’s unraveling in real time. We’ve got violence in Tehran, Trump’s abrupt walkout from Canada, and a level of global instability that’s got even the most seasoned diplomats scrambling. You’ll hear what it’s like on the ground in Iran, and we’ll get into how world leaders are trying—and mostly failing—to manage the chaos. This isn’t just about diplomacy anymore. It’s disaster control. So, let’s get into it.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

Let’s start in Tehran. If you’ve seen the footage, you know it’s not just headlines—it’s explosions, mass evacuations, and a city in panic. Israeli strikes hit the capital, and within minutes, the U.S. was telling everyone to evacuate. I mean, how do you evacuate a city of ten million people? That’s not a rhetorical question—people in Tehran are literally asking that in group chats right now. I got a message from a colleague in Tehran—she’s a doctor, and she said, “Chelsea, the roads are blocked, people are exhausted, and no one’s slept in days. We’re just stuck.” She told me about families who tried to leave and spent fourteen hours in traffic for what should’ve been a three-hour drive. And that’s if you’re lucky. Others are just sitting in their apartments, listening to sirens, watching live TV as the studio gets hit by a missile. It’s chaos. The U.S. and Israeli governments are issuing these evacuation warnings, but, honestly, it’s not clear what people are supposed to do. There’s fear, confusion, and a sense that no one’s really in control. And, as a doctor, I can’t help but think about the health impact—no sleep, no access to care, the stress. It’s a nightmare.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

And the thing is, this isn’t just about military targets. Iranian state media says over two hundred people have been killed since Friday. In Israel, the numbers are lower, but the fear is just as real—sirens, bomb shelters, people getting hurt just trying to get to safety. I always say, the human cost gets lost in the headlines, but it’s right there, every single day, for millions of people.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

Now, while all this is happening, the G7 summit in Canada was supposed to be about, well, global unity, right? Instead, it turned into a scramble. Let's see what happened at the G7 summit. Trump cut his trip short—literally left after dinner—because of the Middle East crisis. Macron tried to keep the diplomatic wheels turning, but let’s be real, the whole thing was off the rails. Trade talks? Stalled. Ukraine diplomacy? Barely a blip. The leaders were basically paralyzed, trying to figure out how to respond to multiple emergencies at once. And, you know, as we talked about in a previous episode, these summits are supposed to be where the big decisions get made. But when the world’s on fire, it’s like everyone’s just trying to keep up.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

Trump’s unilateralism—his “America First” approach—really showed here. He told everyone to evacuate Tehran, then left the summit, leaving his team to pick up the pieces. Some leaders tried to salvage things—there was a joint statement about de-escalation in the Middle East, but it was pretty vague. And on Ukraine, there was no real progress. Zelenskyy left without a meeting with Trump or any new arms support from the U.S. It’s like, when the person with the most power in the room walks out, what are the rest supposed to do? The paralysis was real.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

What does this say about Western unity? If the G7 can’t function in a crisis, what’s the point? These summits are supposed to be about collective action, but when push comes to shove, it’s every country for itself. That’s a dangerous place to be.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

Here’s where it gets even more complicated. The G7’s caution—some would say fear—of upsetting Trump is fracturing alliances and, honestly, empowering authoritarianism. There’s this reluctance to call out bad actors, whether it’s Russia or anyone else, because no one wants to rock the boat. Remember, Russia got kicked out of the G8 for annexing Crimea, but now Trump’s saying that was a “big mistake.” That’s not just a throwaway line—it signals a shift in how the West deals with aggression.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

And then you have moments like the one with Steven Crowchild, the Indigenous leader who greeted world leaders at the summit. He said he was “filled with rage” before meeting Trump, but he stayed, prayed, and spoke up for peace and clean water. That took guts. It’s a reminder that sometimes, you have to speak up, even when it’s uncomfortable—or unpopular. I think about that a lot in my own activism, whether it’s fighting for patients’ rights or calling out injustice. Silence has a price. When leaders stay quiet to avoid conflict, it just lets the worst actors set the rules.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

And, you know, this isn’t just about the G7. It’s about the whole idea of a rules-based order. If the people in charge won’t defend the rules, who will? We’ve seen this before—when leaders are paralyzed by fear or self-interest, it’s democracy and human rights that pay the price. I might be going on a bit of a tangent here, but I really believe that if you don’t speak up, you’re complicit. That’s true whether you’re a world leader or just someone trying to do the right thing in your own community.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

Alright, if this breakdown helped you see the bigger picture, do me a favor—like, comment, and share this episode. If you want more behind-the-scenes context, subscribe to the Substack for weekly deep dives. And, of course, follow The Real 4-1-1 on Spotify and Apple so you’re always one step ahead of the headlines. Hit that bell so you never miss an episode. We’ll be back soon, because, let’s face it, the story is never just the headline. Stay curious, stay critical, and I’ll catch you next time.