New pics of Trump holding court in Oval Office branded ‘embarrassing’ as world leaders sit around his desk: ‘Like schoolchildren’
Arrangement of world leaders sat around Donald Trump in the White House raises eyebrows
- New pictures show Donald Trump in the Oval Office with major world leaders, drawing criticism for an "embarrassing" power play.
- Social media users noted the setup, with Trump behind the Resolute Desk and leaders on chairs opposite, made him appear to be hosting "unruly schoolchildren".
- Attendees included British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, French president Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish president Alexander Stubb, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
- The meeting's staging and the White House's "peace through strength" mantra were deemed "deeply disrespectful to U.S. history itself" by some online.
- Critics questioned why the visiting leaders, who arrived as "equals", allowed such a "belittling" arrangement.