Trump Clarifies ‘I’m the Boss’ Remark at G7 Summit
President Donald Trump has clarified his recent “I’m the boss” comment made during the G7 summit, explaining it was intended as a joke. In a Friday interview with Axios, Trump described the exchange as “just being funny” and “being cute.”
The comment drew attention during the summit in France, where leaders of major Western economies gathered to discuss global security and economic coordination. Trump’s explanation offers a detailed account of the moment, amid a broader emphasis on his administration’s leverage in international affairs.
Trump recalled the incident, describing a formal setting and asserting the remark was not a literal claim of authority. “I was just being funny,” Trump told Axios’ Marc Caputo during an interview filmed on Thursday. “I wasn’t trying to be the boss.”
He elaborated on the seating arrangement that prompted the remark. “They’re all sitting, and then I walked into the room. It was funny because there was a very long table meant for about 30 people, and there were only seven of them,” Trump said. “I saw them all sitting, they’re all known figures, the heads of countries. I walked in and said, ‘I’m the boss and you remember.’ That was just done as a joke.”
When asked how many of the leaders believed he was the boss, Trump replied, “All of them.” He added, “This thing got carried all over the world, I can’t believe it. I was just being cute, funny. I wasn’t trying to be the boss.”
Trump Emphasizes Power and Dominance
Trump described the summit in terms of control and outcomes, reinforcing that he saw the gathering through the lens of influence and leverage. “I feel that it’s a very powerful administration right now,” Trump told Axios, expressing his second term as stronger than the first.
The president characterized the summit as highly successful, stating, “We got what I wanted,” and describing it as a “very dominant G7.” Observers note this aligns with Trump’s tendency to frame foreign policy in terms of strength, especially after recent geopolitical tensions with Iran.
Controversies Following G7 Summit
The “I’m the boss” remark is not the only diplomatic issue from the summit. A dispute arose between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. On Friday, Italy’s foreign minister canceled a planned U.S. visit after Trump claimed Meloni “begged” him for a photo during the summit.
“She wanted a picture with me so badly,” Trump told Italy’s La7 broadcaster last week. “I wouldn’t have taken it, but I felt sorry for her.” Meloni quickly responded on social media, saying she was “stunned” and his account was false. “Neither I nor Italy ever beg,” she added.
During a phone interview with NBC News, Trump reiterated his claim that Meloni begged for the picture. “That’s true,” he said. “She wasn’t there for us.” Trump continued, “She was a big fan but I don’t want her as a fan because she was not there — along with the NATO group — having to do with the strait,” referring to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway closed by Iran after attacks from Israel and the U.S. earlier this year.