Trump names Modi, Xi as world leaders he most admires, calls Indian PM 'a very tough cookie'
US President Donald Trump has identified Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping as the world leaders he most admires, describing Modi as "a very tough cookie" and Xi as "all business".
The remarks came during an interview with Axios on Thursday, shortly after Trump returned from the G7 Summit in France, which he described as "very dominant".
Asked which global leaders he admired the most, Trump singled out Modi and Xi, offering brief but pointed assessments of both leaders.
Praise for Modi and Xi
Trump described Prime Minister Modi as "a very tough cookie", a phrase he has used before to convey admiration for a leader's negotiating skills and political resilience.
🚨 LMFAO!! President Trump just dropped this hilarious line right in front of Indian PM Modi
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) June 17, 2026
"So you look at this man. I'll give you a lesson. He's the most BEAUTIFUL-looking man. He looks so nice. He's like an angel!" 😭
"But actually, he's tough, he's a killer. He's as tough… pic.twitter.com/0WG3isqcyJ
Referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said the Chinese leader was "all business", highlighting what he sees as Xi's focused and disciplined approach to governance.
Donald Trump with Xi Jinping. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The US President declined to identify any world leader he considers weak.
Trump reflects on global influence
During the interview, Trump also spoke about his interactions with world leaders at the G7 Summit and reiterated his long-standing criticism of Russia's exclusion from the grouping.
He noted that the forum had originally been the G8 before Russia was removed following its 2014 annexation of Crimea.
Trump also recalled French President Emmanuel Macron hosting him for a dinner at the Palace of Versailles, describing the historic venue as "my weakness".
New book details Trump's views on power
Trump's comments came as fresh excerpts emerged from Regime Change, an upcoming book by New York Times journalists Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan.
According to the authors, Trump reviewed a document comparing his influence favourably with some of history's most powerful rulers, including Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, Napoleon Bonaparte, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong and Adolf Hitler.
The book claims Trump read through the list and commented on how previous rulers lacked modern advantages such as air travel and advanced technology available to a US president.
'I'm the boss'
In the Axios interview, Trump repeatedly framed international relationships in terms of influence and authority.
He claimed that G7 leaders accepted his joke that "I'm the boss" and asserted that Israel has "a lot of respect" for him.
"If it weren't for me, Israel would not exist today," Trump said.
The US President also described his relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "good", while adding that he sometimes needs to keep the Israeli leader "a little bit sane".
Donald Trump with Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: X/The White House
Trump further defended his handling of Iran, insisting that the outcome amounted to "unconditional surrender" and "regime change", despite criticism from both domestic opponents and some former political allies.
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