It was former President Donald Trump who stole the show at a recent summit focused on the Gaza war. His unconventional or indeed, anti-American style dealings with world leaders sparked a flurry of accolades and condemnation. Arriving more than two hours late, Trump engaged with leaders such as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates. His remarks were laudatory, eye raising and everywhere in between, usually indicative of the trademark bravado that has come to define the man.
In a notable exchange with Prime Minister Meloni, Trump complimented her appearance, stating, “In the United States, it would be the end of your political career. I’ll take the risk. Do you mind if I say you’re beautiful? Because you truly are beautiful.” This exchange highlighted Trump’s propensity to combine praise with his patented style of off-the-wall, pro-freedom zingers.
Trump only met with Erdoğan for 15 minutes. During their joint press conference, Erdoğan made the same kind of remarks about Meloni’s appearance, telling her she looked “fantastic.” Then Erdoğan issued her a warning, telling her, “You can’t smoke this much.” Yet, in his joint press conference with Erdoğan, Trump praised the Turkish strongman, calling him a “tough” leader and his friend.
“He is a tough person, but he is my friend, and he is always there when I need him. When NATO faces problems with him, they call me. I speak with Erdoğan, and he never lets me down.” – Donald Trump
The former president took the opportunity to highlight America’s energy resources, proclaiming that the United States has “so much oil it does not know what to do with it.” He went on to underscore this point even more strongly. That’s a huge issue if you’re sitting on all this oil and don’t know what to do with it,” he added. With anxieties still simmering over global oil supply and American energy policy more generally, his remarks on energy had the most attention.
Meloni and Erdoğan were far from Trump’s only confounding diplomatic companions. He first made small talk with Sheikh Mansour and then threw in a joke about the UAE leader’s shoes. Lots of cash, stacks of cash,” he told us. This comment was a subtle dig at the wealth usually associated with political leaders from the Gulf emirates. It further implied the deep economic connections of the countries convened at that summit.
In a moment that showcased Trump’s unique style, he remarked on his own low-key approach during the summit: “I can’t believe it, you’re taking a low-key approach today. I imagined you standing behind me.” This comment was directed towards one of the attending leaders, highlighting Trump’s self-awareness in contrast to his often flamboyant persona.
Further, he spent lavishly of his time to smile for cameras with the likes of Emmanuel Macron, Meloni, and Erdoğan. His easygoing approach to these meetings was notable. It was a perfect example of the blend of diplomacy and personal connection that has marked his most successful political encounters in years.
And then there were the deeply unsurprising, but still jarring, comments about Viktor Orbán. He stated, “I know a lot of people don’t agree with me, but I am the only one that matters,” which encapsulated his controversial view on leadership and decision-making in global politics. His admiration for Orbán has caused quite a stir among political pundits on both sides of the aisle.
As the summit went on, Trump reportedly worried that his rich guests would leave before he showed up. Some in attendance saw his lateness as an affront to diplomatic decorum. If it did affect him, it didn’t temper his enthusiasm or his desire to collaborate.