During a two-day visit to Washington, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met with US President Joe Biden in the Oval Office of The White House. In a lighthearted moment, President Biden mistakenly referred to Sunak as “Mr. President,” quickly correcting himself. They discussed the strength of the US-UK special relationship, with Biden emphasizing the close alliance between the two nations. The leaders also addressed their commitment to providing economic, humanitarian, and security assistance to Ukraine. The meeting took place in the historic room where Winston Churchill and Franklin Delano Roosevelt once met over seventy years ago.
US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Discuss US-UK Special Relationship in Oval Office Meeting
During UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s two-day visit to Washington, an important meeting took place in the Oval Office of The White House between Sunak and US President Joe Biden. In a light-hearted moment, Biden mistakenly called Sunak “Mr. President” before quickly correcting himself, saying, “Well, Mr. President … I just demoted you, Mr. Prime Minister.”
The meeting focused on the US-UK special relationship, with Biden expressing his satisfaction with the current state of the alliance, stating that the relationship is in “real good shape.” He further emphasized that the United States has no “closer ally than Great Britain.” Biden expressed his delight at having the prime minister in the US capital, and Sunak welcomed the president’s warm words, acknowledging the strength of their partnership and friendship.
Biden took the opportunity to highlight the recent meetings they had, including in San Diego, Belfast, and Hiroshima. He humorously remarked, “And now we’re here, we’re going to solve all the problems of the world in the next 20 minutes.” The leaders discussed their collaborative efforts in providing economic, humanitarian, and security aid to Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
Rishi Sunak responded by affirming their commitment to upholding shared values, stating, “We will put our values front and center as we’ve always done.” The leaders also reflected on the historical significance of the Oval Office, mentioning that Winston Churchill and Franklin Delano Roosevelt had met there over seventy years ago. Biden recalled the strength of the partnership between Great Britain and the United States, noting that Churchill was once found wandering the halls of the White House in the middle of the night. Sunak jokingly assured that he wouldn’t be doing the same.
In a light-hearted exchange, Biden mentioned the various stories about former prime ministers roaming the White House at 3 am. Sunak replied, “Sir, don’t worry, you won’t see me there bothering you and the First Lady.”
Sunak acknowledged the weight of the conversations that their predecessors had in the same room, discussing wars fought together and the transformative changes brought to the lives of their citizens.
