Trump’s Viral Photo Has Fans Zooming In on the Japanese Prime Minister’s Cry for Help
Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words, and in the case of Japan’s newly appointed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi standing beside Donald Trump, those words are most likely “yikes” and “someone help her.”
The photo op has set social media ablaze, with observers dissecting every pixel of Takaichi posing next to Trump in a photo with a face of international discomfort.
Trump’s recent visit to Tokyo was supposed to be all business — a standard diplomatic meeting between national heads of state. But it quickly turned into an internet sensation when photos from the encounter started circulating online. The images captured what many are calling a master class in trying to maintain composure while internally screaming.
When the pictures hit social media platforms, particularly Threads, the reactions came fast and furious.
“Can you see the expression on her face. Something is wrong. Could it be smelling something,” one observer wrote, pointing out what appeared to be barely concealed distress.
The comment sparked an avalanche of similar observations, with users analyzing every detail of the prime minister’s expression like armchair body language experts.
“She’s not quite at the rolling-her-eyes-at-his-stupidity stage, but [she] is creeped out by him invading her,” another person chimed in, articulating what thousands seemed to be thinking.
The thread kept growing as more people weighed in on what they perceived as visible discomfort.
One particularly astute commenter noted, “She’s learning to hold her breath for a long time,” while another added, “If eyes could talk.”
A fifth person said, “Looks like she just got a whiff of him.”
But Takaichi isn’t alone in the club of female foreign leaders whose facial expressions around Trump have gone viral.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has become something of a patron saint for this phenomenon, with multiple clips documenting her various reactions during encounters with the American president. The compilation of Meloni moments has become required viewing for anyone interested in the art of diplomatic poker faces.
During one gathering of European leaders who gathered at the White House, Trump made comments about Italy’s governmental longevity compared to previous administrations, telling Meloni, “They don’t last very long. You’ve lasted a long time. You could be there a long time.”
Meloni’s response — a smile coupled with chuckles and rolled eyes — was interpreted by many as the international diplomacy equivalent of laughing at your boss’ bad joke.
Meloni playing Trump nice then rolls her eyes 🙄😂 pic.twitter.com/l4FChRE9XW
— Mario (@PawlowskiMario) August 18, 2025
Then there was the mouth and nose-covering incident, which has become particularly legendary in social media circles. Video footage appearing to show Meloni subtly covering her face while standing close but in back of Trump sparked endless speculation and memes.
While some defended it as simply adjusting her face or a natural gesture, the internet court of public opinion had already rendered its verdict: the prime minister was trying to create a personal air filtration system, leaning into the narrative that 47 smells bad.
Then there’s the eye-rolling episode that cemented Meloni’s status as the queen of what looks like “I can’t believe I have to deal with this” expressions. During what appeared to be a routine exchange at the Middle East peace summit in Egypt, cameras caught what many interpreted as another classic eye roll — the kind that seems to speak volumes about patience wearing thin and professional obligations requiring superhuman restraint.
These viral moments paint a picture of a recurring pattern where female heads of state find themselves in visibly awkward positions with Trump, their faces betraying the disconnect between diplomatic necessity and personal comfort.
