Hes young and handsome: Trumps Oval Office remark to Iraqi PM goes viral

New DelhiJul 15, 2026 09:55 AM IST The video has since gone viral across all social media platforms, garnering a wave of reactionsUS President Donald Trump welcomed Iraq’s new Prime Minister, Ali al-Zaidi, to the Oval Office, using the meeting to praise the Iraqi leader amid rapidly escalating tensions in the Middle East. Hosting the Iraqi prime minister during his first official trip abroad since he took office, Trump began with a light-hearted comment: “He’s young and handsome, which doesn’t make me happy.”“Mark my words, I knew what I was doing. This man is going to be a great leader in the Middle East, beyond Iraq. His influence is going to spread all throughout the Middle East,” AP quoted Trump as saying. Watch the video here: Trump on Iraqi PM: He’s young and he’s handsome…which I don’t like. pic.twitter.com/ovpImmGBhk — Acyn (@Acyn) July 14, 2026 The video has since gone viral across all social media platforms, garnering a wave of reactions. “It’s foreign policy, not a beauty pageant,” a user wrote. “Diplomacy with trademark humor,” another user commented. “It took Iraq months to find a leader Trump thought was handsome enough. The one Iraqis elected didn’t suit him,” a third user reacted. Meanwhile, the US Wednesday reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports, citing Tehran’s attacks on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The move follows a series of US strikes that prompted retaliatory attacks from Iran across the region.Story continues below this ad Trump also warned that Washington would intensify its military campaign if Tehran refused to negotiate. “We’re going to hit them very hard tomorrow night. We’re going to hit them very hard the night after, and then next week it gets really bad for them, because next week the power plants come. Next week comes the bridges. We’re going to knock out all their power plants. We’re going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News.