Several world leaders gathered in Egypt for the Gaza Peace Summit on Monday, that came in the backdrop of a major breakthrough in ending the two-year-long violence in Gaza, and the release of Israeli hostages.
Besides US President Donald Trump basking in praise for his Israel-Hamas intervention and delivering a campaign-style speech in Sharm El-Sheikh, what also drew attention was his visibly awkward compliment to Italian President Giorgia Meloni.
During his speech, Trump acknowledged several global leaders standing behind him and thanked them for their presence. When it was Meloni’s turn, he highlighted her ‘beauty’ and asked if she was offended by the compliment.
“We have a woman, a young woman who…I’m not allowed to say it because it’s usually the end of your political career if you say she’s a beautiful young woman,” Trump said, further complaining how it is the end of a person’s political career in the United States if he makes such a remark for a woman.
“But I’ll take my chances,” Trump said, and turned around to face Meloni. “There she is, you don’t mind being called beautiful, right? Cause you are. Thank you very much for coming, appreciate it,” Trump said.
The widely shared clip divided users on social media, as some of them believed Meloni didn’t look so pleased with the compliment.
This was not the only interaction of Meloni’s with a world leader in Egypt that went viral. In another video, Meloni could be seen interacting with Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who advised the Italian President to quit smoking.
“You look great, but I have to make you stop smoking,” Erdogan told Meloni, with French President Emmanuel Macron also present there. “I know, I know,” Meloni said, responding to the Turkish President.
Meloni’s interactions with Donald Trump and Turkey’s Erdogan went viral on Monday. The three were among several global leaders who arrived in Egypt on Monday as Trump signed a Gaza agreement. “You’re friends of mine, you’re great people,” Trump told the fellow leaders lined up behind him. “I have a couple I don’t like in particular but I’ll — I won’t tell you who,” he said to the leaders.
The ceremony organised in the resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh was to mark a pivotal moment in the de-escalation between Israel and Hamas.
