Spanish Member of the European Parliament Irene Montero went viral after singing her own sarcastic rendition of "Happy Birthday" to US President Donald Trump, ending with the line "Happy Birthday, Mr Genocide," during a Middle East policy debate.
Montero's Fiery Speech
Montero, the country's former Minister of Equality and a representative of Spain's left-wing Podemos party, used her floor time to criticise European Union foreign policy, confronting EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. At the conclusion of her remarks, Montero switched to English to sing the tune, drawing immediate online comparisons to Marilyn Monroe's famous 1962 birthday performance for President John F Kennedy, but swapped out the standard lyrics to "Mr Genocide".
Questioning EU Achievements
Montero fiercely questioned what Europe had to celebrate regarding the modern state of affairs in the Middle East. She demanded to know if the EU had actually prevented devastation. "Have we stopped an illegal aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran? Have we broken relations with Israel? Have we stopped the occupation of Lebanon? No, we cannot celebrate any of that," she said.
Targeting Trump's Birthday
The speech targeted Trump following public celebrations for his 80th birthday on Sunday, June 14. Montero mocked his birthday festivities, calling them a "Roman Empire"-style spectacle.
Viral Reaction
The viral moment quickly ignited intense debate on social media. Supporters lauded it as a bold and necessary critique of international foreign policy. Critics dismissed the performance as empty political theater, pointing out that she delivered the speech to a largely empty parliamentary chamber.
Kallas did not verbally respond to the song, maintaining focus on her notes throughout the presentation.
