Joe Does It Again! Flubs His Lines During Important Meeting - WATCH
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made his first visit to the White House on Thursday and, according to President Joe Biden, the U.S.-UK "special relationship" is in “real good shape.”
“Well, Mr., uh, Prime Minister, it's great to have you back,” Biden said jokingly after addressing the British leader incorrectly.
Sunak’s historic visit comes at a time of transition for the UK, as it embarks on a new phase following its departure from the European Union. He was presented with a personalized waxed jacket by the president, as well as a book written by Biden’s great-great grandfather.
The leaders discussed a range of issues during their White House meeting, including the economy, the dangers of artificial intelligence, and their shared commitment to the freedom and democracy of Ukraine.
Continuing the historic nature of the meeting, Biden noted the similarities between his encounter with Sunak and the 1941 meeting between Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the Oval Office.
“You know, Prime Minister Churchill and Roosevelt met here a little over seventy years ago, and they asserted that the strength of the partnership between Great Britain, the United States was the strength of the free world,” he said.
However, according to U.S. officials, the two leaders’ discussions were not expected to result in the signing of a free trade agreement between Washington and London. Rather, officials hoped to strengthen the relationship by working to build better economic ties, as London navigates its post-Brexit transition.
Sunak’s mission also sought to bring renewed vitality to the U.S.-UK partnership, especially after some in Britain felt forgotten or snubbed by the Biden administration, which has been accused of favoring Ireland over the UK.
U.K. officials have quietly been lobbying U.S. lawmakers to support defense initiatives, particularly those related to arming Ukraine, as Republicans in Congress threaten to cut off the supply of weapons and ammunition.
Additionally, Sunak’s defense secretary is among the potential successors to Jens Stoltenberg as the NATO Secretary General, highlighting the importance of the U.S.-UK relationship.
As the two countries’ leaders departed the White House, the “special relationship” appeared to be in its own special place. And with British ministers finding favor in Biden's White House, the meeting could prove to be the beginning of a better, more stable relationship.
Biden tells UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak a rambling story about the Truman Balcony, then forgets Winston Churchill's name pic.twitter.com/npnPMBvQmF
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