PART 1: THE COMPLIMENT HEARD AROUND THE SUMMIT
“We have a woman, a young woman who is… I’m not allowed to say it because usually it’s the end of your political career if you say it,” announced President Donald Trump at the peace summit in Egypt.
Then, as if the world had been waiting for his next diplomatic insight, he declared, “She’s a beautiful young woman.” The woman in question was Giorgia Meloni, the Italian Prime Minister, who looked as if she had suddenly remembered an urgent appointment elsewhere.
Trump, 79, stood among serious faces such as Britain’s Keir Starmer and Canada’s Mark Carney during the signing of a Gaza peace deal. It was a moment meant for solemn statesmanship. Instead, it turned into a masterclass in how to make global leaders collectively wince.
“Now, if you use the word ‘beautiful’ in the United States about a woman, that’s the end of your political career. But I’ll take my chances,” he added, with the bravado of a man who believes that charm and tact are optional extras. Then came the direct pitch to Meloni: “You won’t be offended if I say you’re beautiful, right? Because you are.”
Meloni managed a tight smile, the sort used by people who have been cornered by relatives at weddings. The rest of the leaders stared straight ahead, no doubt praying for the summit to resume before anyone else was complimented.
Compliments are not crimes. The problem is when the time, place, and tone are catastrophically off. Whether one is a local shopkeeper or the President of the United States, there are moments when restraint is the better part of valour. Sadly, restraint and Trump rarely occupy the same sentence.
The incident lit up the internet. One reader commented, “It was an embarrassing moment for the Italian Prime Minister. Every American should be embarrassed at his fumbling, awkward compliment said at the wrong time, wrong place, and to the wrong person. A total lack of class by our President.”
The remark fits neatly into a growing list of Trump’s awkward observations about women. Earlier that week, aboard Air Force One, he described White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in his trademark style. “That face… and those lips, they move like a machine gun,” he said, apparently unaware that metaphors involving firearms rarely sound flattering.
He repeated a similar line during a Newsmax interview in August. “She’s become a star,” he said of Leavitt. “It’s that face. It’s that brain. It’s those lips, the way they move. They move like she’s a machine gun… She’s a star and she’s great.”
Trump also complimented journalist Brandi Kruse, saying, “Very attractive,” before adding, “I’m glad you no longer have TDS. I feel very good about that.”
All this unfolded just as he imposed a 92 percent tariff on Italian pasta. Nothing says international friendship quite like economic punishment followed by a beauty comment.
Meloni, once dubbed “Europe’s Trump Whisperer,” has long been a friendly ally. She attended his inauguration and even praised his handling of reporters. At a White House event in August, Trump was caught on a hot mic saying, “You look fantastic.” She smiled back then too, but this time her grin seemed to require Olympic-level endurance.
PART 2: SMOKE SIGNALS FROM ERDOGAN
Just when Meloni thought the summit could not get more personal, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan decided to offer lifestyle advice. Between discussions about Gaza, he told Meloni she should stop smoking.
“I don’t want to kill somebody,” she replied with an uneasy laugh. In a single afternoon, the Italian leader received a lesson in both gender politics and health awareness.
PART 3: CARNEY’S CALM CLAPBACK
Amid the chaos, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney provided the summit’s most graceful moment. When Trump mistakenly referred to him as “President Carney,” the Canadian smiled and replied, “I’m glad you upgraded me to president.”
Trump, not to be outdone, said, “At least I didn’t say governor.”
The room laughed politely, grateful that, for once, the comment involved job titles instead of looks.
In conclusion: At the Gaza Peace Summit, world leaders gathered to discuss peace, strategy, and global cooperation. Trump arrived with compliments, confusion, and plenty of cringe. Meloni’s smile may have lasted only seconds but will surely be remembered for a long, not as a moment of warmth, but as a masterclass in enduring awkwardness under the global spotlight. Isn’t it!
The writer is Senior Assistant Editor
