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Or sign-in if you have an account.In this handout picture released by the Palazzo Chigi Press Office on June 17, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during the G7 summit in Evian, France, on June 17, 2026. Photo by HANDOUT /Palazzo Chigi press office/AFPThe G7 summit wrapped up Wednesday after the leaders of some of the world’s most powerful countries concluded their meeting in Évian-les-Bains, France, where they discussed major international issues, including the wars in Iran and Ukraine, trade and other economic issues.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. 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Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorFrench President Emmanuel Macron hosted the summit, but it’s Donald Trump who drew much of the attention following several slightly awkward moments involving the U.S. president. Here are just a few of them.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againTrump said Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni “begged” him for a joint photo at this week’s G7 summit in France — a claim she called “fully made up.”“She begged me for a picture,” Trump told Italian broadcaster La7 in comments broadcast Friday morning. “She wanted a picture with me so badly. I wouldn’t have done it, but I felt sorry for her.”Meloni replied immediately from a European Union chiefs’ summit in Brussels.“Italy and I never beg,” she said in a post on Instagram. “Some things warrant an immediate response. Trump’s remarks are fully made up. I am frankly astounded. I don’t know why the president of the US behaves like this with allies. It’s not the first time it happens. I can only say it’s regrettable he doesn’t have the same determination with the enemies of the West, the enemies of the US, with leaders he’s far more accommodating with.”Trump said he “had the lowest chair in the whole room” as he sat down for a meeting Wednesday with tech and world leaders.Despite help from OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman, who was seated right next to him, Trump was unable to solve the problem. That’s until, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stepped in.“Donald, Donald, Donald. I’ve got the general’s chair,” Carney said.“You know what, it’s the U.N.,” Carney jokingly said as he gave the U.S. president his chair. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding.”“That’s funny. That’s very funny,” Trump said.Trump complaining that he had a low chair because it looks bad in photos, and can’t figure out how to raise it. PM Carney brings over his chair to swap it with him. pic.twitter.com/1JpEdY4NGP— распад и неуважение (@VictorKvert2008) June 18, 2026In a video shared widely on social media, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni appears to be gesturing animatedly while speaking to Trump.The clip shows Meloni pointing at Trump, who stands silent next to her, apparently waiting for her to finish talking, before she turns her back on the president.Whether she was having a strong word or it was just a bit of characteristic Italian body language is hard to know.While Meloni was previously considered a Trump ally, the pair’s relationship has been tense after she criticized the U.S. president for lashing out at the pope. Trump was then quoted in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera in April saying: “I’m shocked by (Meloni). I thought she had courage. I was wrong.”However, that might now be behind them. Meloni was overheard at the summit on Tuesday telling German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, “We have always been friends,” when talking about Trump.You can even be the most powerful man in the world, but when a 5’4” Italian woman raises her little finger and gestures like that, you definitely have to listen to her 🤣Giorgia Meloni epic with Donald Trump 🇮🇹🤌🇺🇸 https://t.co/LvBSIlmvHg— Mambo Italiano (@mamboitaliano__) June 16, 2026Another awkward video from G7 proceedings shows Trump walking off in the wrong direction after a photo-op with other world leaders.Standing between French President Emmanuel Macron and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Trump poses before quickly walking off to the left of the stage, leaving his counterparts still mingling around him.Several people can be heard saying “other side” to the U.S. president, while Macron signals in the opposite direction. Trump proceeds to follow the French president away — but not before pausing to give a quick thumbs-up to the camera.The same moment produced a series of photos of Trump apparently standing awkwardly alone, while other leaders at the G7 summit mingle and shake hands.U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been forced to deny that he was snubbed by Trump after the pair didn’t have a bilateral meeting at the summit.On Tuesday, Starmer had been caught on a hot mic asking: “Are they having a meeting?” while Trump, Macron and Volodymyr Zelenskyy were absent. Meanwhile, videos circulating online appear to show Trump refusing to acknowledge that Starmer is standing next to him while he shakes hands with others.However, a full video of Trump’s day two arrival shows that he does in fact shake hands with Starmer, before speaking to other leaders at the summit.Starmer has since said he had a series of “very productive, very good conversations” with the U.S. president.After arriving at the final morning session of the three-day summit in France, Trump announced, “I’m the boss” to the room of leaders who were already in their seats.The statement was met with laughter, while Macron appeared to take the comment with good humour, asking the U.S. president, “How are you?”“Good, thank you,” replied Trump, before patting Keir Starmer’s shoulder and taking a seat between the U.K. Prime Minister and Macron.Trump is well known for his signature long handshakes, and he and Macron often make a show of their intense, tug-of-war-like greetings (one of which, in 2017, went on for 30 seconds).But this time it was Macron’s wife, Brigitte Macron, who was on the receiving end.Footage of his arrival at the summit shows Trump grasping Brigitte’s hand for 13 seconds, before taking her hand once again while talking to the couple.Trump previously mocked the Macrons’ marriage, and was heard saying at an event in April, “I called up France, Macron, whose wife treats him extremely badly, [he is] still recovering from the right to the jaw.” The comment was an apparent reference to a video in which Brigitte appeared to push her husband’s face as they disembarked a plane.Macron later described Trump’s remarks as “neither elegant nor up to standard.”In yet another viral video from the summit, Trump appeared to be completely unaware that a photo was being taken as he sat around a table with his fellow leaders.While Macron urged his guests to pose for a photo, the U.S. President didn’t appear to look at the camera or even move at all, despite the leaders around him turning their chairs for the photo opportunity.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. 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