A Couple of Lighter Moments From Yesterday’s Yuge Oval Office Confabulous

I had to share these and thought they’d be a perfect way to end the day.

If you haven’t had a chance, yet, to really ruminate on what a triumph for the Western World yesterday was, take a look again.

Literally at the drop of a hat, the leaders of all the largest, most important, and economically powerful countries in Europe came to Washington at President Trump’s request to present a united front and solve what had once seemed impossible.

Countries that had previously sneered, derided, and defamed this man were on his doorstep in 72 hours.

🚨WATCH:

Only President Trump could convene 8 world leaders in 36 hours to discuss peace for Russia & Ukraine.

I joined @marthamaccallum with how it came about ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/MjsA6xyu7m

— Monica Crowley (@MonicaCrowley) August 20, 2025

In a circle around his desk, getting things rolling after Trump broke the ice…as only he could.

For peace negotiations, not for a war.

Absolutely remarkable and historic moment.

Trump with all the world leaders sitting around his desk is the best photo of 2025. pic.twitter.com/axjXk12Foj

— Mike Crispi (@MikeCrispi) August 19, 2025

There were some funny takes from the press, too. Besides being ribbed about Zelenskyy wearing a suit, the Ukrainian president was lauded for surviving another round of Oval Office diplomacy without stuffing his foot in his mouth.

The prospect of an extraordinary meeting involving Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky could be drawing closer https://t.co/bL2HXMOVlU

Photo: Getty Images pic.twitter.com/vFxXEQRdXE

— The Economist (@TheEconomist) August 18, 2025

In comments I saw later, someone asked if Zelenskyy’s good behavior meant J.D. didn’t have to be there.

Oh, never worry. J.D. was there.

Keeping an eye out in case someone doesn’t say please and thank you pic.twitter.com/USkNO0Pafr

— Acyn (@Acyn) August 18, 2025

The much reviled, milquetoast British prime minister came in for some well-deserved ribbing.

A few moments later.. pic.twitter.com/rd5ugzQICK

— Steve (@NorfolkGTI) August 19, 2025

Someone did a pithy (some NSFW words) and hilarious Trump-voiceover critiquing the various European luminaries as they were all arriving.

It’s almost as if you were standing next to him as he was peeking through a White House window.

This is hysterical! Trump describes Europe leaders as they arrive for the meeting yesterday! 🤣🤣🤣

His descriptions are pure gold! Especially of Macron! 🔥🤣

Yes, I know this is a voiceover! pic.twitter.com/VIBcZItEOH

— Merica 🦋💞 (@Merica197138) August 19, 2025

…These Europeans all look like accountants. ‘Yes, sir. I come to do your taxes.’…

Last night, as I watched Monica Crowley make sure everyone knew where their placements were for the group picture, I noticed my favorite Bond villainess, Ursula Von der Leyen, the European Commission president, headed straight for the center of the group only to be shuffled off to the end.

It was kind of awkward and curious at the same time. The imperious Ms Von der Leyen is quite used to being front and center in any gathering, and here she was holding up the wings. Then major dad said, ‘Well, she’s not a leader of a country,’ and he was right. She’s not elected as the others were. Similarly, Mark Rutte, the delightful Secretary General of NATO, wound up on the right-hand side.

President Trump took a group photo with European leaders today at the White House. From left to right:

EC Pres Ursula von der Leyen
UK PM Keir Starmer
Finland Pres Alexander Stubb
President Zelensky
President Trump
President Macron
Italy PM Giorgia Meloni
German Chancellor Merz… pic.twitter.com/SVJCSywMO2

— Paul Villarreal (AKA Vince Manfeld) (@AureliusStoic1) August 18, 2025

But little did I know that wasn’t the only set down the Empress of Europe received during the visit.

The White House made it politely but perfectly clear that they intended to have a private chat with the elected leaders of sovereign countries, and asked the Borg Queen to step outside for a little while.

HOLY SMOKING HOT TEUTONIC NOSE OUT OF JOINT

During Monday’s multilateral meeting between Trump and Merz, Macron and co., the Americans made Ursula von der Leyen leave the room because they did not consider her a “leader” or an “elected head of state.” lmfao. pic.twitter.com/OLUHXO0MkE

— eugyppius (@eugyppius1) August 20, 2025

I’ve hardly ever been so tickled.

Bundestag Vice President Omid Nouripour said on Tuesday on the n-tv program “Frühstart” that Ursula von der Leyen had to leave the room during Trump’s Ukraine meeting with European heads of state in Washington. “In the middle of yesterday, for example, Ms. von der Leyen had to leave the room because the Americans said: ‘We only want to talk to leaders.'”

According to Nouripour, the EU Commission President was removed from the room because US politicians do not see her as the elected head of state. The Green Party politician immediately contradicted the American view: “Ms. von der Leyen represents over 400 million people. Yesterday, she was also the voice of the states that were not present, those that are highly relevant to the debate on Ukraine, such as Poland, the Baltic states, and the Czech Republic.” 

As my favorite German blogger said:

…Von der Leyen represents “over 400 million people” in the same way that rude clerks at the Registry of Motor Vehicles represent local drivers.

To begin with, there is no singular European people or unified European national interest on behalf of which von der Leyen could ever speak. She has no meaningful budget, she commands no army and she has no political legitimacy. Von der Leyen last won an election in 2003 for the state parliament of Niedersachsen; her entire career since then has been a product of back room deals, internal party pecking orders and Angela Merkel’s patronage. The latter brought her to prominence with a series of cabinet posts, culminating in her six-year term as Minister of Defence, where she was widely accused of mismanagement and incompetence. Back in 2019, only a third of Germans thought Merkel’s “weakest minister” was fit to preside over the EU Commission, a position she owes largely to Emmanuel Macron’s political triangulations.

The Americans were entirely right to tell her to get out, and they should do this more often.

If the meeting was the power move, this was the cherry on top. This public puncturing of the Brussels Brahmin bubble and chucking the collective vice grip on the individual decisions of the sovereign states populating it.

In the White House, the Borg Queen has no power over them. They can unassimilate for a few brief minutes and speak with relative freedom as a German, Italian, Frenchman, or Brit. Not a Borg hive creature.

Although you know damn well that little weasel Macron will rat them out afterward. He totally has tattle-tale written on that face.  Maybe we’ll have the eventual pleasure of watching Meloni instead of his wife finally land one on his Gallic schnoz. Who knows?

It’s an atmosphere where anything can happen. Has happened. Might still happen.

It’s exhilarating.

I love it.

I love it so much I can’t stand it.

What a great time to have this job.

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