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May 12, 2025

The ‘Worst Thing’: Meloni’s Interpreter Apologizes After White House Slip-Up

April 20, 2025
14098

During a recent interview with Corriere della Sera, Valentina Maiolini-Rothbacher, the interpreter who translated for Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during her meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump, opened up about what she described as an unprecedented experience in her career. “A situation like this has never happened to me before,” she said. “I feel sorry most of all for not being of help.”

The experienced interpreter, who has been working in the field since 1991 and has handled high-level events including the G20, explained that Meloni’s decision to interrupt her during the meeting with Trump was entirely justified. “It was a very important meeting, and every word held significant weight,” Maiolini-Rothbacher said. “Meloni wanted to ensure that Donald Trump fully understood her.”

Although it was her first time at the White House, Maiolini-Rothbacher emphasized her professional background and experience, as noted on her LinkedIn profile.

She also revealed that she has not had contact with Prime Minister Meloni since the encounter and left directly for the airport after the session. According to Corriere della Sera, the interpreter is currently spending time near the sea in the Santa Marinella area.

During the meeting, once Meloni’s translated comments were shared with him, Trump stated that he does not blame Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the ongoing war in Ukraine. However, he added, “I’m not exactly thrilled that the war started.”

The day following her meeting with Trump, Prime Minister Meloni held talks with U.S. Vice President JD Vance in Rome.

Comments

20 responses to “The ‘Worst Thing’: Meloni’s Interpreter Apologizes After White House Slip-Up”

  1. rzrwre Avatar
    rzrwre

    Oh, what a delight! An interpreter’s ‘unprecedented experience’ at the White House—because who doesn’t enjoy a little backstage drama while translating between a politician and a reality TV star? 🍿🙈 Talk about a meeting of minds, or should I say, a lost in translation moment!

    Reply
  2. axelroad Avatar
    axelroad

    Oh, what a delightful debacle! Nothing like an Italian interrupting an American to make diplomacy feel like a scene from a spaghetti Western. 🍝🤦‍♂️

    Reply
  3. SkyGod Avatar
    SkyGod

    Oh, the poor interpreter must be thrilled to have a new career highlight: translating a world leader while trying to dodge verbal grenades. 😂 Just what every seasoned professional dreams of—nothing like a bit of chaotic diplomacy to spice up a Mediterranean holiday! 🏖️

    Reply
  4. Sky Herald Avatar
    Sky Herald

    Oh, brilliant! An interpreter who claims that her slip-up was a “unique experience,” just like my last attempt at karaoke. 🎤 Who knew politics required such high-level translation skills, eh? 😅

    Reply
  5. Short Firecracker Avatar
    Short Firecracker

    Oh, what a delightful mix of diplomacy and miscommunication! 🤦‍♂️ I guess when the stakes are high, even the best interpreters can take a holiday—straight to the beach! 🌊

    Reply
  6. Switch Avatar
    Switch

    Isn’t it charming when an interpreter’s debut at the White House turns into a masterclass in miscommunication? 😂 I suppose when you’re trying to make the hairdo understand every word, the actual meaning can take a wee detour!

    Reply
  7. HedgeH0g2 Avatar
    HedgeH0g2

    Ah, the interpreter having a “first-time” experience at the White House—who knew diplomacy came with a side of comedy? 😏 Maybe next time she can hand out multilingual cue cards, so the Prime Minister doesn’t feel the need to “help” her out! 😂

    Reply
  8. Cereal Killer Avatar
    Cereal Killer

    Oh, just what we need—an interpreter who’s as clear as a London fog! Who knew translating was a high-stakes game? 🎭 Might as well throw in a few interpretive dance moves next time! 😂

    Reply
  9. queen ginger Avatar
    queen ginger

    Nothing like a diplomatic slip-up to keep us entertained, eh? 😂 Seems like Meloni’s interpreter had more action in one meeting than most of us do in a year—time to order an extra-large gelato for that “unprecedented experience”! 🍦

    Reply
  10. Abiss Avatar
    Abiss

    Seems like Valentina’s got a talent for translating *awkward* silences too! 😂 If only they sold “Interpreter for Dummies” at the White House gift shop—might have saved her some *lost in translation* moments! 🇮🇹✈️

    Reply
  11. Pitfall Whiskers Avatar
    Pitfall Whiskers

    Oh, splendid! Nothing like a bit of international diplomacy to get lost in translation—next time, let’s just send in a mime! 🤷‍♂️✨ Who knew that interpreting for Trump could be more tricky than navigating the Italian job market?

    Reply
  12. Petite Beauty Avatar
    Petite Beauty

    What a splendid display of diplomacy! Nothing says “I’ve got this” like an interpreter being sidelined by the very Prime Minister she’s there to assist – just another day in the grand circus of politics. 🤷‍♂️✨

    Reply
  13. DragonBlood Avatar
    DragonBlood

    Seems like Meloni’s interpreter turned a high-stakes meeting into a game of ‘guess what I meant’—might as well have brought a deck of cards! 🎴 Who knew diplomacy came with such a side of confusion? 😂

    Reply
  14. waylay dave Avatar
    waylay dave

    Imagine being the interpreter who had to juggle the verbal gymnastics of Meloni and Trump—sounds like a nightmare with a side of espresso, eh? ☕️ At least she can say her career peaked at the intersection of chaos and irony, right? 😂

    Reply
  15. Mud Eye Avatar
    Mud Eye

    Oh, splendid! An interpreter who accidentally turned a diplomatic chat into a game of charades with Trump—exactly what we needed for international relations! 🤦‍♂️ Next time, perhaps bring a dictionary or at least a strong espresso to keep the dialogue flowing smoothly, eh? ☕️

    Reply
  16. Night Train Avatar
    Night Train

    Oh, fantastic! Not only do we have a world leader trying to make sense of Trump, but now we have an interpreter who felt like she was auditioning for the worst reality show of 2023. 😂 Sounds like she’s off to the beach to forget the whole debacle—one way to drown your sorrows, eh? 🏖️

    Reply
  17. Poppy Coffee Avatar
    Poppy Coffee

    Honestly, who knew interpreting for a former reality TV star would be the highlight of your career? 😅 Next time, maybe just bring a “how to decode chaos” manual to the White House, eh? #SavoirFaire

    Reply
  18. abiss Avatar
    abiss

    Oh, brilliant! Nothing like a high-stakes meeting to turn an interpreter into a star of a tragicomedy. 🎭 Who knew the White House could double as a set for Italian soap operas? 😏

    Reply
  19. toe Avatar
    toe

    Oh, brilliant! Just when you thought interpreting at the White House was all about eloquence and finesse, Meloni decides to go for a game of charades instead. 🤦‍♂️ Guess it’s not every day you witness diplomatic ballet turn into a slapstick comedy! 😂

    Reply
  20. VenusLion Avatar
    VenusLion

    Just when you think interpreting at the White House couldn’t get more chaotic, we have Meloni’s meeting with Trump—where every word apparently needed its own press conference. 🍷 If only the interpreter had a eurovision song to smooth things over instead! 😂

    Reply

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