As G7 leaders worried about wars and diplomacy, Donald Trump was gushing over strongmen on Wednesday—calling one world leader “the most beautiful looking man” and recounting how he “fell deeply in love” with another.
During a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump fawned over the longtime leader, drawing particular attention to his “angelic” looks and negotiating skills.
“You look at this man. I’ll give you a lesson,” the 80-year-old American president said.
“He’s the most beautiful looking man. He looks so nice, he’s like an angel, but actually he’s a killer… he’s as tough as they come. But he looks so good, so he gets you by surprise.”
The compliment came only a few hours after Trump reminisced about his first encounter with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
The pair met at a hotel ahead of the 2016 election, when he was running for president for the first time against Hillary Clinton, and, according to Trump, the affection was instant.
“He was in a hotel and I met him. We fell in love, deeply in love,” he said of el-Sisi, who Trump once famously referred to as his “favorite dictator.”
“We didn’t know each other before that. We had great chemistry, and I stayed twice as long as I was supposed to.”
Trump arrived at the summit earlier this week under pressure to defend his tentative agreement with Iran, which he insists will prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Yet even as he touted the accord, he acknowledged it is “not final” and warned that the United States could resume military action—and “drop bombs”—if Iran fails to comply.
But the president’s wild swings on Iran have left world leaders confused and cautious, even as they support the prospect of a potential breakthrough.
In a bid to deal with America’s unpredictable president, some G7 leaders have sought to flatter him, others have carefully avoided public confrontations, and several have tried to keep him engaged on issues ranging from Ukraine to trade.
Meanwhile, the summit itself featured several awkward moments. At one point, Trump arrived late to a session and joked that “I’m the boss,” drawing uncomfortable laughter from fellow leaders.
Another clip went viral featuring European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen greeting him with a brief handshake before warmly embracing other leaders, including Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky.
Concerns have also been raised over Trump’s health after he appeared confused and seemed to walk in the wrong direction during the G7 “family photo”—the same kind of behavior that he used to relentlessly mock Joe Biden over.
But amid wars, trade disputes, and delicate negotiations over Iran, Trump seemed most comfortable doing what he has often done best on the international stage: handing out compliments to strongmen allies.
“Happy Pride, Donald!” quipped one observer after the president recounted his hotel meet-cute and chemistry with El-Sisi.
Wednesday was not the first time the aging commander in chief has fawned over men during public events.
Earlier this month at an agriculture roundtable in Wisconsin, Trump singled out a burly attendee nearby, telling the audience: “Look at this guy over here. I don’t know who the hell he is, but he is one hell of a specimen, I can tell you.”
And last month a commencement speech at gave at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy took a cringeworthy turn when the president began thirsting over the attractiveness of young cadets.
Pointing out a male graduate who earned a perfect score on every fitness test, Trump mused: “This guy must be something. I think we’ll have to invite him up... I want to check him out.”
“Woah!” he added as the young man walked up to the stage. “Look at the muscles on this guy!”
