‘You don’t mind right?’ Trump calls Meloni ‘beautiful young woman’ at Gaza peace summit
Italian PM Meloni smiles at Trump’s remarks but does not comment further
Trump greets Italy's PM Giorgia Meloni during summit to support ending the more than two-year Israel-Hamas war in Gaza after a breakthrough ceasefire deal in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt on Monday. AP/PTI Photo
Unlock Exclusive Insights with The Tribune Premium
Take your experience further with Premium access. Thought-provoking Opinions, Expert Analysis, In-depth Insights and other Member Only Benefits
Advertisement
US President Donald Trump praised Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as “a beautiful young woman”, the only female leader on stage at the Gaza summit in Egypt on Monday.
The exchange came after the signing of “The Trump Declaration for Enduring Peace and Prosperity.”
Advertisement
Speaking in front of around 30 world leaders, Trump acknowledged the potential political risk of commenting on a woman’s appearance.
Advertisement
“If you use the word ‘beautiful’ in the United States about a woman, that is the end of your political career, but I will take my chances,” the 79-year-old president said, turning to Meloni, who smiled in response.
Trump repeated his compliment several times, saying, “You don’t mind being called beautiful, right? Because you are… She is a beautiful young woman.”
He added praise for her leadership, calling her an “incredible” and “very successful politician” respected in Italy.
The Italian leader laughed at Trump’s remarks but did not comment further, while the summit focused on a historic agreement to lay the groundwork for Gaza’s future. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hammad Al Thani also signed the document.
Also read: In Egypt, Trump hails ‘good friend’ Modi, then glances at Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif
Advertisement
Advertisement