In an unexpected moment of political choreography, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was seen crouching on the floor to retrieve documents spilled by US President Donald Trump during a joint announcement of a new UK-US trade deal at the G7 summit in Canada.The two leaders had just declared the official signing of the much-anticipated trade agreement when Trump opened his folder for the cameras, only to send several papers fluttering to the ground.“Oops, sorry about that,” Trump said with a chuckle, while Starmer quickly bent down, adding, “It’s a very important document.”
Starmer later told reporters that he acted instinctively, knowing that if anyone else moved forward, they might be tackled by Trump’s security team.
“There weren’t many choices,” he said, half-jokingly. “I was just deeply conscious that it wouldn’t have been good for anybody else to have stepped forward.”Trump, in classic form, then mistakenly announced the deal as one with the European Union instead of the UK. “It’s a fair deal for both. It’ll produce a lot of jobs, a lot of income,” he said, apparently unfazed.Starmer clarified the agreement would affect tariffs on cars and aerospace, calling it “a sign of strength” in UK-US relations.
“Donald, thank you very much. This now implements on car tariffs and aerospace,” he said.Despite the mix-up, Starmer dismissed any concerns about Trump’s condition, saying the former president was “in good form” throughout their meetings.Asked why Trump seemed to like him so much, Starmer smiled and said, “That’s really for him to answer—but I think we do have a good relationship. And that’s in the national interest.”