Spanish media outlets have reacted angrily to an apparent snub of socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez by President Donald Trump as the pair met at the G20 meeting in Osaka, Japan.
Donald Trump is known for stealing headlines with scathing takedowns of his political opponents, both in person and on Twitter, but this time a simple gesture was all that was needed to spark the ire of the Spanish media.
At a session of the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, on Friday, Trump appeared to cut off Spain’s socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, while gesturing that he instead take a seat, before the US president nonchalantly walked away.
The left-wing prime minister turned to greet the president, but Trump barely broke his stride before pointing Sanchez back to his seat and walking on. The president said something to the prime minister as he did so, but it was not clear what.
Sanchez then took his seat with a sheepish grin as Trump moved away towards his own seat.
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El Pais described the exchange as “mocking,” while El Periodico called it “ugly”. Online media outlet Diario Patriota said Trump had “humiliated” Sanchez in a repeat of similar behavior during a NATO summit last July.
As Prime Minister, Sanchez has rolled out the red carpet for migrants arriving in Spain via boats from Libya, a policy which is at odds with Matteo Salvini in Italy, who has done the exact opposite.
Sanchez is the leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party and was elected in June last year.
Sanchez is also a close friend of Barack Obama.
They also had a formal meeting last year.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has met with former US president Barack Obama in Madrid. It was “a cordial meeting of two people who know a lot about how to lead a country,” said government spokesperson Isabel Celaá at a press conference. “Short but interesting.”
According to Celaá, “it was a meeting between two people with closed agendas who nevertheless wanted to greet one another and talk for a few minutes. They were alone and Sánchez did not say what they had spoken about.”
Maybe he shouldn’t be surprised why President Trump dislikes him so much!
