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(52,809 posts) Tue Oct 14, 2025, 11:21 PM Oct 14

'I am the only one that matters': Trump deals praise and insults at Gaza summit

Self-styled world’s greatest peacemaker calls Meloni ‘beautiful’ and Erdoğan a ‘friend’, but takes jab at Iraqi and Canadian leaders

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/14/donald-trump-gaza-summit-praise-insults-world-leaders

The chief interest at Monday’s largely pointless Gaza summit in Sharm el-Sheikh lay in whether Donald Trump insulted or feted his fellow global leaders as they approached the self-styled world’s greatest peacemaker to shake hands and pose for a thumbs-up photograph.

As the host of the party, the US president had arrived – unapologetically – more than two hours late, musing to the Israeli parliament before boarding his flight from Tel Aviv that he feared his wealthy guests would already have left, leaving him with only two poor countries remaining.

He need not have worried. First up on the stage to be greeted by Trump was Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the vice-president of the United Arab Emirates. A beaming Trump pointed out Mansour’s “lovely shoes”, then pointed at him, saying: “A lot of cash, bundles of cash.” The Manchester City owner attempted to beam back happily at this self-evident truth.

Another to find favour with the Sun King was Giorgia Meloni, the only woman gatecrashing an otherwise male-only event. Trump turned to the Italian prime minister, saying: “In the United States, it would be the end of your political career. But I’ll take the risk. Do you mind if I say you’re beautiful? Because you truly are beautiful.”

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