Donald Trump has had awkward and tense interactions with world leaders together with Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron, Kim Jong Un and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Donald Trump’s most awkward moments with world leaders defined
Donald Trump launched into his political journey in 2015, stating he did not see himself as a diplomat within the standard sense.
In a interview with the New York Occasions, he claimed that if he had been to develop into president, he would have a “nice relationship” with different world leaders, as he’s “one of the best dealmaker there may be.”
Nevertheless, since moving into the worldwide political limelight, he has fostered some tentative, some awkward and a few strained relationships together with his fellow heads of State.
One of many earliest extensively reported incidents befell on 17 March 2017, when German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited the Oval Workplace on the White Home in Washington, D. C.
As they posed for images collectively, photographers requested the 2 politicians to shake arms. Merkel turned in direction of Trump to ask “Do you wish to have a handshake?”, experiences the Mirror US.
Video footage from the second depicts Trump, seated beside her, staring straight forward with out responding. It is unclear whether or not he heard Merkel’s query, however the second shortly went viral on-line.
Just some months into his first time period, at a NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium, Trump joined different leaders for a gaggle picture.
Footage from then exhibits him transferring previous and seemingly pushing apart Duško Marković, the prime minister of Montenegro, with a purpose to place himself on the entrance of the lineup.
As soon as moved apart, Marković briefly turned in direction of Trump and smiled, seemingly anticipating a dialog. The then-White Home press secretary Sean Spicer responded “I’ve not seen the video,” when questioned.
Through the years, Trump’s diplomatic relationship with Emmanuel Macron of France has skilled highs and lows – beginning in 2017.
The duo’s preliminary conferences had been characterised by what some described as unusually prolonged and agency handshakes. Later, they exchanged cheek kisses – a standard French greeting.
The connection has developed into what’s now a publicly amicable one, albeit with exceptions. In a single occasion, Trump utilised his Fact Social platform to publish a personal message he acquired from Macron.
He adopted it up by jokingly telling reporters, “he’ll quickly be leaving workplace.”
Trump has a balanced relationship with Macron (Picture: Getty)
As regards to handshakes, Trump’s preliminary greeting with overseas leaders has, in itself, develop into a recurring subject, as observers regularly word his tendency to drag or tug on the opposite individual’s arm.
The behavior was most notably noticed after a 2017 assembly with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Their handshake lasted roughly 19 seconds, together with seen pulling motions which appeared to perplex Abe.
An analogous prevalence occurred with Paraguay’s president Santiago Peña through the “Defend of the Americas” summit. Viewers noticed Trump then repeatedly pulling Peña’s hand backwards and forwards whereas they smiled on the cameras.
One other encounter which achieved meme standing befell in June 2018, when Trump made historical past by assembly North Korean chief Kim Jong-un in Singapore – the occasion marked the primary assembly between leaders of america and North Korea.
As the 2 leaders and their groups readied themselves to take a seat down for a ceremonial lunch, Trump turned to the photographers current to jest: “Getting a very good image, everyone? So we glance good and good-looking and skinny?”.
The digicam then swings to Kim, who seems barely bewildered – the remark appeared to not translate precisely through the trade.
Trump and Kim Jong Un have met thrice (Picture: AFP by way of Getty Photos)
That very same yr, following the California wildfires, Trump opted to publicly reference a dialog with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö while discussing wildfire administration.
“I used to be with the President of Finland and he mentioned we now have – a lot completely different – we’re a forest nation… And so they spend a variety of time on raking and cleansing and doing issues, and so they haven’t any downside,” he knowledgeable reporters.
Niinistö clarified he didn’t recall making a suggestion about raking forests at any level throughout their dialog.
Amongst light-hearted diplomatic exchanges, one stands out.
Now again in workplace for his second time period, Trump was concerned in a tense second throughout a gathering on February 28, 2025 when he and U.S. Vice President JD Vance hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy within the Oval Workplace.
Trump and Zelenskyy had heated arguments (Picture: AFP by way of Getty Photos) Get the newest information from all over the world and extra Subscribe Invalid electronic mail
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At this televised stay assembly, either side had been supposed to debate ongoing U.S. help for Ukraine amid its battle with Russia. Nevertheless, the dialog shortly turned confrontational.
Through the closing moments of the trade, each Trump and Vance repeatedly lambasted Zelenskyy for what they described as his “lack of gratitude,” regularly interrupting him. Quite a few specialist media shops famous how this represented an unusually public rift between a U.S. president and a overseas chief.
The Gaza peace summit in 2025 additionally produced some extraordinary moments. First, Trump made remarks aimed toward Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni while talking on stage, positioned amongst a number of world leaders.
He mentioned: “She’s a fantastic younger lady. Should you use the phrase ‘lovely’ in america a few lady, that is the top of your political profession, however I am going to take my possibilities.”
Turning to Meloni, he requested: “You do not thoughts being referred to as lovely, proper? Since you are.”
Probably the most latest awkward moments was between Trump and Starmer (Picture: POOL/AFP by way of Getty Photos)
Shortly afterwards, he briefly summoned British Prime Minister Keir Starmer by asking, mid-speech, “The place is the UK?”.
Starmer responded by strolling in direction of him as if making ready to handle the viewers – just for Trump to inform him “It’s totally good that you simply’re right here,” earlier than resuming his personal remarks. Starmer then slowly returned to his earlier place.
Moments later, Trump referred to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney because the “president” of Canada. Following the remark, Carney was overheard joking “I am glad you upgraded me to president!”.
Trump responded with a chuckle, asking, “Did I say that?” earlier than including, “At the very least I did not say governor” – referencing a comment he as soon as made about Carney’s predecessor Justin Trudeau.
Most not too long ago, he additionally referred to Carney as Governor, implying Canada would develop into a U.S. state.
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