Featured Image Credit: Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Topics: Politics, US News, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Donald Trump
Jen Thomas
Topics: Politics, US News, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Donald Trump
Donald Trump was caught on a hot mic during Monday's meeting with European leaders, making an unexpected comment in front of Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Several European leaders joined Trump for a summit at the White House to discuss Ukraine peace talks, after he met Russian leader Vladimir Putin earlier this week.
Trump was joined by Meloni as well as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish president Alexander Stubb, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
It has been regarded as an 'unprecedented' gathering, and as such was heavily covered by the media.
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During the summit, one microphone picked up the moment Trump leaned in to praise what appeared to be German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
He was overheard telling him: "You look fantastic."
Trump's praise continued, as he openly told the rest of the table that Italy's leader Meloni is 'a really great leader and an inspiration over there.'
"She's served now, even though she's a very young person; she's served there for a long period of time relative to others," he added.
"They don't last very long; you've lasted a long time. You're going to be there a long time," he insisted.
Earlier, Meloni joked to Trump about how tall Finnish president Alexander Stubb is, saying, 'He's too tall for me... I never want him near, I prefer Volodymyr!"
Trump replied about Stubb: "He's a tall guy, good looking!".
Last year, an Italian journalist was fined €5,000 for mocking Meloni's height.
The reporter, Giulia Cortese, posted two 'defamatory tweets' that 'body shamed' the prime minister.
“You don’t scare me, Giorgia Meloni. After all, you’re only 1.2 meters (4 feet) tall. I can’t even see you,” they wrote.
She also called the prime minister 'a little woman'.
Later in the meeting, Meloni was heard joking about Trump and his interactions with the media after Stubb asked, "You do this every day?", and Trump responded, "All the time."
Meloni quipped: "He loves it, he loves it, and he does it always. I never want to speak with my press."
The meeting was full of moments that caught the attention of onlookers, as Meloni was also seemingly spotted rolling her eyes in response to the German chancellor telling Trump about the importance of a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.