It was supposed to be another serious moment of diplomacy at the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit in Egypt. But when Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took the stage to sing praises of Donald Trump, it was Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni who quietly stole the show — without saying a word.
As world leaders gathered to discuss Gaza’s post-war future, cameras caught Meloni’s unfiltered reactions during Sharif’s sudden and rather theatrical address. Summoned by Trump himself, the Pakistani leader launched into a glowing tribute, calling the American President “a man of peace” and crediting him for ending wars between India and Pakistan.
“I would like to nominate this great president for the Nobel Peace Prize, because I genuinely feel he is the most genuine and most wonderful candidate because he has brought not only peace in South Asia – saved millions of people, their lives – and today, achieving peace in Gaza (and) saving millions of lives in the Middle East,” Sharif declared, in full admiration.
As Sharif spoke, Meloni was seen instinctively covering her mouth — a brief, unrehearsed gesture that social media instantly turned into a viral meme. When the Pakistani PM continued to heap praise on Trump, the Italian leader appeared to compose herself, putting on what many described online as a “poker face” — one that still couldn’t quite hide the disbelief beneath it.
Watch: #Italian PM @GiorgiaMeloni ’s priceless reaction as #Pakistan’s Shehbaz Sharif nominates Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize! 😂
— Sukhvindra Som (@sukhvindrasom) October 15, 2025
Honestly, it feels straight out of the movie Welcome like those scenes where Nana Patekar hires people just to praise him.
Tell, Ballu… doesn’t… pic.twitter.com/MYx9wTJyZx
Clips of Meloni’s changing expressions — from shock to studied indifference — flooded timelines, with viewers joking that her face had said what several world leaders probably couldn’t. While Sharif’s speech may have aimed to highlight Trump’s diplomatic success, it was Meloni’s reactions that became the headline moment of the summit.
The gathering itself was no small affair. Over 20 global leaders, including Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, attended the high-level Gaza Peace Summit on Monday, October 15.
The two co-chaired the event to finalise the framework of the US-brokered ceasefire and discuss plans for Gaza’s reconstruction. Trump also signed a document formalising the landmark peace agreement — a moment that should have been the day’s central takeaway, if not for the Italian Prime Minister’s unintended comic timing.
This is hardly Meloni’s first viral moment. In June last year, she was caught on camera rolling her eyes as former US President Joe Biden kept NATO leaders waiting in Washington. She even mimed checking an imaginary watch before realising the camera was on her.
A month later, at the G7 Summit in Italy, she was seen exchanging a frosty handshake — and what looked like an unmistakable death stare — with French President Emmanuel Macron.
If there’s one pattern that keeps repeating, it’s that Giorgia Meloni doesn’t need a microphone to make global headlines. Her expressions do the talking.
