US President Donald Trump took a lighthearted detour during a press briefing on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France on Tuesday, pausing mid-conversation to compliment Sky News Arabia correspondent Majed Al Farsi on his appearance before letting him ask his question.
The exchange unfolded as UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met Trump on the sidelines of the summit in Evian-les-Bains. As Al Farsi asked for permission to put a question to the US President, Trump turned to Sheikh Mohamed and remarked, “What a nice looking person, is he from your country?” Sheikh Mohamed replied, “Absolutely.”
Trump then told the correspondent, “He’s got such a nice way. My people are so mean,” drawing a comparison with American reporters. He added, “Look at him, such a handsome guy, we can put him in a movie right now.”
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Who is Majed Al Farsi
Al Farsi is an Emirati political news anchor at Sky News Arabia, where he has worked since April 2012, and was in Evian-les-Bains on assignment for the channel covering the G7 summit. He began his career as a correspondent and news editor with the “Oloum Al Dar” news bulletin after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in applied media from the Higher Colleges of Technology, later presenting the “Emirates Tonight” bulletin and the Lebanon-filmed show “Mahlaha Bladi” before returning to anchor “Oloum Al Dar.”
He holds a master’s degree in culture and creative business from Columbia University in the US, earned through a partnership with his college, and trained in museum management at the Louvre ahead of the opening of Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island museums.
At Sky News Arabia, he anchors political news bulletins alongside presenting the evening programme “Al Masaa” with colleague Faisal bin Hariz.
A lighter moment amid serious talks
The brief exchange came during a broader meeting in which Sheikh Mohamed thanked Trump for the US’s “support and commitment” to its allies, with “special thanks” for backing during the Iran war. Trump, in turn, described the relationship between the two countries as “outstanding.”
Earlier, in the same meeting, Trump also quipped about Sheikh Mohamed’s soft voice, telling him that when you’re that rich, you can afford to speak that quietly.
Footage of the moment quickly drew attention online once it began circulating after the briefing.
