Was Ursula von der Leyen kicked out of the European leaders' meeting with Trump?

Published on 22/08/2025 - 10:02 GMT+2

A viral declare is circulating connected societal media that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was thrown retired of a gathering pinch US President Donald Trump and different European leaders, arsenic they discussed bid successful Ukraine astatine nan White House.

Some posts opportunity that Trump said he "only wanted to talk to leaders" astatine nan gathering successful Washington, DC, connected 18 August, while others opportunity that Trump told her he wanted "a grown-up talk pinch important people" earlier asking her to hold outside.

In summation to Trump and von der Leyen, those attending nan gathering were Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Finland's President Alexander Stubb, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

The societal media posts, immoderate of which person complete a cardinal views, look to originate from right-wing, replacement media outlets, specified arsenic Apollo News, which property nan declare to Omid Nouripour, vice president of nan German Bundestag.

The article contains a clip of Nouripour connected German TV transmission ntv, saying that von der Leyen had to time off nan room because nan Americans said they only wanted to talk to leaders.

The allegations person besides appeared successful different fringe outlets pinch clear anti-EU and anti-von der Leyen stances, which quote nan Apollo News study and erroneously impeach nan European Commission president of having nary governmental legitimacy and only gaining her position acknowledgment to Macron.

However, nan European Commission's lawman main spokeswoman has said that nary of nan claims is true.

She said that von der Leyen participated successful each meetings, astatine each times, alongside different European leaders.

Nouripour has since corrected his first statement successful consequence to Arianna Podestà's station connected X, stating that he accidentally referred to mendacious reports, and that it was "good and proper" that von der Leyen was there, representing nan remainder of nan EU personnel states.

His agency told EuroVerify that Nouripour was primitively referring to reporting by German media outlets Bild and Der Spiegel, which said that a gathering occurred "only among leaders", excluding von der Leyen and NATO's Rutte.

Neither outlet responded to EuroVerify's petition for remark arsenic of nan clip of publishing. Ntv, however, has issued its ain correction successful its reporting connected Nouripour's comments.

In fact, footage from nan White House gathering shows Trump moreover musing aloud that von der Leyen whitethorn beryllium nan astir powerful of nan European leaders gathered there, arsenic she represents 27 countries.

Trump said von der Leyen was "somebody that we conscionable made a large woody with", referring to nan US-EU waste and acquisition and tariff deal signed astatine nan extremity of July.

"With each of those countries, I don't know, I deliberation you mightiness beryllium much powerful than each these guys astatine this table, I don't know," Trump told her. "But we had a awesome speech and you're respected each complete nan world, truthful I want to convey you very overmuch for being here."

"It's a awesome honour to person you," nan US president said, a acold outcry from claims that he threw von der Leyen retired of nan talks.