The recently concluded 2025 NATO Summit in the Netherlands witnessed key global leaders addressing pressing geopolitical matters. Yet, it was Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni who unexpectedly dominated social media, not for her policy statements, but for her animated facial expressions while speaking to reporters.
(Also read: ‘Elon will be jealous’: A prime minister got down on one knee with ‘namaste’ to greet Giorgia Meloni)
A video clip showing Meloni making seemingly involuntary and exaggerated facial movements during a press interaction has gone viral, prompting a wave of humorous reactions online. The footage was widely circulated on X (formerly Twitter), where users couldn’t help but speculate about her behaviour.
Check out the clip here:
Internet reacts
"What's going on with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni?" one user questioned, while another commented, "Is Giorgia Meloni okay?" A third wrote, "How do you explain Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's facial expressions here?" The video fuelled more speculation, with comments like, "Too much caffeine?" and "She had a flashback of Macron whispering in her ear." One user even joked, "Some powerful cocaine."
{{/usCountry}}"What's going on with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni?" one user questioned, while another commented, "Is Giorgia Meloni okay?" A third wrote, "How do you explain Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's facial expressions here?" The video fuelled more speculation, with comments like, "Too much caffeine?" and "She had a flashback of Macron whispering in her ear." One user even joked, "Some powerful cocaine."
{{/usCountry}}Another user tried to be more empathetic, saying, "Is she nervous? Maybe facial tics. It happens."
Check out the viral reactions here:
White House joins the ‘Daddy’ bandwagon
While Meloni's expressions were one side of the NATO spotlight, US President Donald Trump generated a buzz of his own, courtesy of a new nickname—“Daddy”—coined by NATO Secretary-General and former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Rutte made the remark in reference to Trump’s reaction to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. In a widely-shared video, Trump compared the situation to a schoolyard fight, saying, “They’ve had a big fight, like two kids in a schoolyard. You know, they fight like hell. You can’t stop them. Let them fight for about two, three minutes, then it’s easier to stop.” Rutte responded, “And then Daddy has to sometimes use strong language.”
The White House seized the moment, posting a slickly edited video of Trump’s summit visit with Usher’s “Daddy’s Home” playing in the background. The video featured Trump’s arrival and his meeting with Rutte, further amplifying the meme-worthy moment.