Trump's G7 Awkwardness
Trump's G7 Appearance Features Multiple Awkward Moments with Fellow World Leaders
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U.S. President Donald Trump turned the 2026 G7 Summit in Évian-les-Bains, France into a series of viral moments — from declaring "I'm the boss!" to world leaders, to wandering off-stage in the wrong direction. The three-day summit, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, was already tense before Trump arrived, when he posted on Truth Social calling European nations "third-world" over their immigration policies, according to National Post.
The summit also exposed cracks in what was once a tight alliance between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Their rift, triggered by Trump's attacks on Pope Leo XIV, played out awkwardly and publicly in front of the assembled G7 leaders.
Trump Declares 'I'm the Boss' on Day Three
Trump arrived late to the final working session on June 17. As he entered the room, he told the assembled leaders, "I'm the boss!" Newsweek and The Guardian both reported the comment. Analysts described it as a deliberate power play — a move to reassert U.S. dominance after days of visible diplomatic friction.
The summit's backdrop made the declaration even more charged. Trump arrived buoyed by a preliminary 14-point peace deal to end the 107-day U.S.-Iran war. European allies, however, were frustrated. They said they had not been consulted before the war began on February 28, according to Newsweek.
Meloni Turns Her Back as Trump-Vatican Rift Spills Over
Meloni, once seen as Trump's closest European ally, was caught on camera gesturing animatedly at Trump during a photo session — then pointedly turning her back on him. The tension stems from Trump's attack on Pope Leo XIV, whom Trump called "weak" after the Pope condemned U.S.-led strikes on Iran as "genocidal," per Associated Press.
Meloni had publicly called Trump's remarks about the Pope "unacceptable." Trump fired back in an interview with Italian daily Corriere della Sera, saying, "I thought she had courage. I was wrong." The two did hold a private "clarification meeting" at the summit dinner on June 16, according to The Guardian. Meloni was later heard telling German Chancellor Merz, "We have always been friends."
Trump Wanders Off-Stage and Starmer Denies Being Snubbed
After the official G7 "family photo" on June 16, Trump walked off in the wrong direction. Macron had to signal him back to the group. The clip spread rapidly online, with critics using tags like #ConfusedTrump, according to MeidasTouch. Supporters framed it as a minor mix-up from a leader comfortable enough not to care about optics.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced his own awkward moment. A viral clip appeared to show Trump ignoring him while greeting other leaders. Starmer denied being snubbed, and the White House later released a longer video showing Trump did shake Starmer's hand on arrival. But The Guardian noted that the need for a video rebuttal was itself seen as a sign of strained relations. Starmer arrived at the summit already weakened — his Defence Secretary, John Healey, had just resigned over a funding dispute back home.
What the Awkward Moments Reveal About Western Alliances
Max Bergmann of CSIS compared the summit dynamic to a family holiday with "an uncle you don't quite like," where passive-aggression runs just below the surface, as reported by Indian Express. The analogy stuck. From Starmer's hot-mic moment questioning whether he was being left out of a private Trump-Macron-Zelenskyy meeting, to Meloni's back-turn, every interaction carried diplomatic weight.
The summit did produce some concrete outcomes. Global oil prices fell sharply after the Iran peace deal was announced. UK defense spending rose from 2.3% to 2.6% of GDP, though allies pushed for 3%, according to The Guardian. And Trump had already ordered the withdrawal of 5,000 U.S. troops from Europe before arriving — a punitive move aimed at Germany's Friedrich Merz, per Associated Press.
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