Trump arrives at G7 summit looking for momentum after announcing a deal to end the Iran war

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — President Donald Trump started his visit to the G7 summit of leading industrialized nations on Monday by declaring his agreement aimed at ending the U.S. war with Iran is a potential breakthrough for global security and a chance for the U.S. to finally turn the page in its relationship with longtime adversary Iran.

The Republican U.S. president sought to make clear that he arrived in Evian-les-Bains with the wind at his back for talks with G7 leaders, including some who have been sharply critical of his managing of the 15-week-old conflict, which has led to a surge in global energy prices — though he did not immediately seem willing to lay out the details of what was in the emerging deal.

Some of those details are still to be negotiated in talks over the next 60 days, though Trump said the memorandum of understanding would likely be released after it’s signed on Friday.

“I think a lot of great things are going to happen in the Middle East right now, and very importantly the oil (price) is plummeting down and the stock market is shooting up like a rocket today,” Trump said at a meeting with the summit’s host, French President Emmanuel Macron, before they joined a working dinner with other leaders.

“The Iran deal that we made is going to bring a lot of success to the world,” he said.

Trump has had friction with Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni over failing to consult them before the decision to go to war. But sealing an agreement before jetting off to the summit might change the dynamic of the three-day gathering.

Macron at the start of Monday's meeting congratulated Trump for finding a way to an agreement.

"It’s a very important matter for peace of the whole world,” Macron said.

Trump has pushed back on the four European leaders — members of the NATO military alliance — for their lack of support for the U.S. in the conflict.

He's expected to discuss with leaders the demining of the Strait of Hormuz. Britain and France have expressed interest in assisting with the demining once the conflict is paused. Fear of potential mines is among the reasons tanker traffic has come to a halt during the war, and quickly clearing them will be crucial to regaining the confidence of commercial vessels.

Macron on Monday said France was ready to move within days to deploy assets, including mine-clearing vessels, to the region to help.

Senior U.S. officials told reporters that the while the agreement provides for the immediate opening of the strait and lifting of the U.S. naval blockade, it will take weeks for traffic to return to previous levels.

Macron invited the leaders of three nations that aren’t part of the G7 — Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates — to take part in a session on the Middle East on Tuesday, when Iran is expected to be a central focus.

Trump had fiercely criticized President Barack Obama for the 2015 nuclear agreement, which Trump argued failed to stop Tehran from advancing toward a weapon and funneled billions of dollars into the Islamic Republic’s coffers.

In 2018, Trump exited the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the European Union were also signatories to the pact.

Trump in an interview on Sunday with The New York Times pushed back on comparisons to the Obama-era nuclear deal. “We negotiated from strength,” Trump said. “He was basically paying them off.”

But Trump hasn't explained how his agreement will address some key issues about Iran's nuclear program, including who will be in charge of verifying that Iran is complying with the agreement and who will destroy or remove 972 pounds (441 kilograms) of highly enriched uranium believed to be buried under nuclear sites that were badly damaged by U.S. strikes last summer.

The memorandum of understanding includes the possibility of releasing Iran's frozen funds, sanctions relief and a $300 billion fund to help rebuild Iran — all of which would be tied to Tehran meeting certain benchmarks aimed at assuaging White House concerns, senior U.S. officials told reporters on Monday.

Some Democrats and hawkish critics say Trump has failed to explain how the financial relief in his agreement will differ from what Obama did in the 2015 nuclear deal.

“For all his critique of JCPOA, we had international observers, we actually had an alliance there that included the Europeans, and Russia and China were all signatories,” Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told CBS' “Face the Nation” on Sunday.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Trump and an Iran hawk, expressed skepticism, saying that Congress will need to review and vote on any nuclear deal with Iran, and said he expects Vance — “the architect of the deal” — to present it.

“I am somewhat concerned that Iran’s view of the agreement seems different than what the American negotiating team is claiming,” Graham said on social media.

Leaders are expected to discuss a range of economic and trade issues. Trump told the New York Post he’s warned Macron the U.S. will “have no choice” but to slap 100% tariffs on French wines unless ​Paris eliminates its digital tax on American tech companies, renewing a long-running threat from him that dates to his first administration.

Wines and ​spirits exported to the U.S. from the European Union currently face ​a 15% ⁠tariff.

In an interview with broadcaster TF1, Macron said Monday that it’s not “for the United States to decide what European or French law should be.”

Macron also invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a working session with G7 leaders on Tuesday to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war.

At the moment, Zelenskyy is not scheduled to hold one-on-one talks with Trump while they're both in France, but Trump on Sunday held separate phone calls with Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Trump emphasized the need to end hostilities with Ukraine and stated his readiness to influence European allies and Kyiv toward that goal, including at the G7.

Zelenskyy had offered to meet Putin with Trump and European leaders at the G7 gathering, but the Kremlin didn’t reply, a Ukrainian official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Putin is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes, and France would be obliged as an ICC member to arrest him. The United States and Russia both oppose the court.

Trump suggested that, after an Iran deal, he'll now have greater bandwidth to focus on the Russia-Ukraine war.

"Now that this is finished, we’re going to be focusing on that,” he said, referring to diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting that followed Moscow’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.

Madhani reported from Geneva, AP writers Samuel Petrequin and John Leicester in Paris; Volodymyr Yurchuk in Kyiv, Ukraine; Michelle L. Price and Collin Binkley in Washington; and Tom Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa contributed reporting.

President Donald Trump meets with French President Emmanuel Macron during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit, Monday, June 15, 2026, in Evian-les-Bains, France. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

U.S. President Donald Trump arrives for the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

U.S. President Donald Trump arrives for the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Air Force One carrying President Donald Trump landing at Geneva Airport ahead of the G7 summit, in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, June 15, 2026. (Jean-Christophe Bott, Pool Photo via AP)

President Donald Trump is welcomed by H.E. Guy Parmelin, President of the Swiss Confederation, Ambassador Callista Gingrich U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland, Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and Ambassador Terrence Billeter, Head of Protocol of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland, as he disembarks Air Force One at Geneva Airport, ahead of the G7 Summit in France, Monday, June 15, 2026, in Geneva, Switzerland. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Swiss Federal President Guy Parmelin welcomes President Donald Trump, right, after Trump disembarked from Air Force One at Geneva Airport, Switzerland, prior the G7 summit, Monday, June 15, 2026. (Martial Trezzini/Pool Photo via AP)

President Donald Trump disembarks from Air Force One at Geneva Airport, Switzerland, prior the G7 summit, Monday, June 15, 2026. (Martial Trezzini/Pool Photo via AP)

President Donald Trump disembarks Air Force One at Geneva Airport, ahead of the G7 Summit in France, Monday, June 15, 2026, in Geneva, Switzerland. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

French President Emmanuel Macron meets members of the emergency forces, ahead of the G7 Summit, in Evian-les-Bains, France, Monday, June 15, 2026. (Christian Hartmann/Pool Photo via AP)

French President Emmanuel Macron arrives for the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

A view of the Hotel Royal where leaders will meet, ahead of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

France Police officers control cars at a check point ahead of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

France Police officers control cars at a check point ahead of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

A view of the Hotel Royal where leaders will meet, ahead of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

President Donald Trump gestures as he boards Air Force One, Monday, June 15, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

President Donald Trump departs at the conclusion of the UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, June 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

President Donald Trump attends the UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Washington with Lara Trump, Tiffany Trump and Donald Trump Jr. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Rory McIlroy might not be as far away as he thought four days ago, playing bogey-free at Bellerive for a 6-under 64 that gave him a share of the lead Thursday in the BMW Championship with three other U.S. Open champions and Chris Gotterup.

Four days brought a big change for Scottie Scheffler, too. The world's No. 1 player went from an eight-shot victory in the postseason opener to feeling under the weather and having to rally for a 72, his highest opening round since the U.S. Open in June.

Scheffler's voice was hoarse when he said he didn't want to stop to talk, saying only that he was sick as he headed for the locker room.

McIlroy returned from a four-week break after the British Open with plenty of rust and very little golf and failed to break par in any of the four rounds for the first time in more than five years at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

He went home to Florida and worked with swing coach Michael Bannon.

“I went home and I worked on a few things and at least got myself back in a frame of mind where like I felt like I’m at least back on the right path of what I’m doing with my game and with my swing,” McIlroy said. “It’s certainly a work in progress. Days like this are encouraging, obviously. There’s still a lot of work to be done.”

McIlroy is fond of saying players never remember what it's like to play bad when they're going well and they think they'll never play good again when the game is going poorly. It's never that far away, and Thursday was a reminder of that.

Bellerive originally was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and later updated by his son, Rees, who had the reputation as the “Open Doctor” for trying to modernize and toughen courses. While soft conditions contributed to a bunched leaderboard, it was hard to look past so many U.S. Open champions at the top.

Gary Woodland, a Kansas native getting plenty of support in Missouri as he continues to recover from brain surgery and make it to the FedEx Cup finale, holed out for eagle on the 11th fairway and didn’t miss a green until the 18th, his lone bogey. He won the U.S. Open in 2019 at Pebble Beach.

Wyndham Clark, who birdied five of his last six holes, is a two-time U.S. Open champion, including this year at Shinnecock Hills. J.J. Spaun went back to the putter he used when he won the U.S. Open at Oakmont two years ago and had seven birdies until a bogey on the final hole.

Among those a shot behind was 2022 U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick.

“Coincidence,” Clark said about five of seven U.S. Open champions at 65 or better.

Woodland is the only one at 64 who really needed a start like this. The triple-digit heat last week in Memphis, Tennessee, made it difficult for him to slow his heart rate, which is key for him to prevent his brain from being overly engaged.

He is at No. 31 in the FedEx Cup — only the top 30 reach the Tour Championship next week in Atlanta, which would guarantee him starts in all four majors next year, along with giving him a chance to play for the FedEx Cup and its $10 million prize.

“I can promise you East Lake wasn’t on my mind to start the year,” Woodland said. "It’s a goal, I think you write it down, but it seemed like far, far away. I’ve had up-and-down days. I’ve had some rough days lately. But we’ve built this together, Randy (Smith) and I, to get to a point where I feel very comfortable over the golf ball.

“If I can find a way to get through 18 holes mentally, my game’s in a pretty good spot where I can compete out here at a level I haven’t been able to compete in a while.”

Woodland kept the excitement down when the crowd erupted in cheers to see his sand wedge from 99 yards spin back and roll into the cup for eagle on the 11th hole. He smiled and raised his arm and gave high-fives to Adam Scott and the caddies.

Most impressive was his 2-iron from 286 yards on the par-5 17th that rolled out to 12 feet on the fringe. He narrowly missed that and settle for birdie.

Woodland occasionally places his hand on the left side of his chest before putting. It looked like a reminder to keep his shoulders in place. Turns out it has a much deeper purpose.

“When I’m struggling I put my hand on my heart to just to remind myself that I’m alive, and if I can feel my heart beat I know I’m breathing,” he said. “And I’ve done that this year just to try to slow my heart down, tell myself I’m safe and I’ll be all right.”

See AP’s full golf coverage here

Wyndham Clark hits from the bunker on the first hole during the first round of the BMW Championship golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

J.J. Spaun, right, talks to his caddie Mark Carens, right, on the 16th tee during the first round of the BMW Championship golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Gary Woodland kneels next to his bag on the second tee during the first round of the BMW Championship golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Scottie Scheffler walks to the fifth hole during the first round of the BMW Championship golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, hits from the fifth tee during the first round of the BMW Championship golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)