The first session of the G20 Summit in the Japanese town of Osaka has left a surprising and, to the naked eye, embarrassing, image. The protagonists were the president of the USA, Donald Trump, and the Spanish PM, Pedro Sánchez. The instance took place when the authorities were entering the room where the meeting was being held and Donald Trump, with a serious face, made an authoritarian gesture directed to Sanchez signalling with his finger to indicate that he was to sit. The Spanish PM, with a nervous smile, hastened to doing it.
The Spanish government, however, denied immediately that Trump had ordered Sanchez to sit. According to the PM's office, quoting the protocol person on site, what really happened was that the US president has told him, signalling with his finger, that his was a good place on the table, a comment that provoked Sanchez's laugh. Spanish PM office sources report that the episode had simply been a joke.
Even so, the reaction on social networks has been one of criticism at Sanchez's submissive attitude upon Trump's gesture.
Translation: Gestures are very important in international politics. Trump's is very ugly. [...]
An image is worth more than a thousand words. When Trump tells you which is your place.