President Trump drew stunned reactions from world leaders at the G7 summit in France when he boasted about a recent White House event, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visibly turning away as Trump made his claim. Hot microphones captured the 80-year-old president telling Qatar’s leader that a UFC event at the White House was the best thing anyone has ever seen, prompting uncomfortable reactions from multiple world leaders seated nearby.
World Leaders React to Trump’s Remarks
The moment unfolded during a working lunch in Evian-les-Bains as Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar discussed Sunday’s sporting event with Trump. The president, who sat ringside on his 80th birthday, spoke enthusiastically about UFC CEO Dana White while describing the event’s historic significance. Social media users quickly seized on video footage showing Meloni immediately looking away, with commenters suggesting she appeared to be searching for an exit from the awkward situation.
European Council President Antonio Costa was caught in another revealing hot mic moment with Trump discussing Greenland. Trump looked directly at Costa and said the word Greenland during their exchange, though the full context of their conversation remained unclear. European politicians have expressed outrage over Trump’s previous threats to acquire the semiautonomous Danish territory, making the brief mention particularly noteworthy to observers.
Casual Conversations Captured Throughout Summit
The G7 summit microphones picked up numerous informal exchanges among the leaders of the world’s richest democracies throughout the week. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz asked Meloni about her smoking habits, prompting her to reveal she quit on May 1st. Leaders from Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan and the European Union offered enthusiastic congratulations for her decision to stop using tobacco.
With the World Cup underway across North America, soccer discussions dominated casual conversations. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer praised Cape Verde’s surprising tie against Spain as quite remarkable. French President Emmanuel Macron and others were heard discussing the recent Champions League victory by Paris-Saint Germain. Someone in the group shouted support for the French national team during one gathering.
Diplomatic Tensions Surface
The informal moments revealed underlying tensions alongside the lighter exchanges. German Chancellor Merz, who recently disagreed with Trump over the war in Iran, presented Trump with a German soccer jersey bearing his name and number 47. Merz posted the photo exchange on social media with a pointed message emphasizing they remain on the same team despite policy differences. Trump smiled for photographs before setting the jersey aside, with no public comment about the gift or its diplomatic implications for the ongoing dispute.