Four weird moments from the Trump-Starmer meeting – and what they can teach Albanese

New York: British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer left Washington having earned Donald Trump’s respect, but without the main commitment he sought: that the United States would help maintain post-war peace in Ukraine.

There was no hint from the US president – at least not publicly – that he would provide a so-called “security backstop”: military backup for British and French peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, most likely in the form of air defence.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (left) and US President Donald Trump shake hands at a joint press conference at the White House.Credit: AP

The optics of the meeting were warm. Starmer said the United Kingdom had “a true friend in the Oval Office”, and Trump enthusiastically accepted King Charles’ invitation for an official state visit – the only time a US president has been invited twice (his first was in 2019).

Yet, there were small signs of the disagreements between the two leaders. On the main topic at hand, Starmer acknowledged Trump’s “deep and personal commitment” to striking a peace deal to end Russia’s war on Ukraine, and praised him for creating “a moment of tremendous opportunity”.

“But we have to get it right,” Starmer said. “Because it can’t be peace that rewards the aggressor or that gives encouragement to regimes like Iran. We agree history must be on the side of the peacemaker, not the invader.”

Trump pretends he never called Zelensky a dictator

Earlier, in the Oval Office, Trump brushed that topic aside. Enforcing security in Ukraine was the easy part, he said, the difficult bit was “getting the deal made”.

Trump also pretended not to remember that he called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a dictator just a week ago. “Did I say that?” he said. “I can’t believe I said that. Next question.”

When a reporter at the joint news conference asked about Trump’s desire to annex Canada, a Commonwealth nation, and make it the 51st state of the US, Starmer refused to take the bait.

Trump speaks over Starmer

“I think you’re trying to find a divide between us that doesn’t exist,” he said. “We’re the closest of nations, and we had very good discussions today, but we didn’t discuss Canada.”

As Starmer was concluding, Trump spoke over the top of him, saying: “That’s enough.” It wasn’t clear if he was trying to shush Starmer or avoid a follow-up question from the reporter, but it made for an awkward moment.

Trump’s AUKUS gaffe

It followed another delicate exchange in the Oval Office when a British journalist asked whether the two men would discuss AUKUS.

“What does that mean?” Trump replied.

When the Australia-UK-US defence pact was briefly explained to him, Trump said it was indeed something they would discuss, and praised Australia.

Trade may prove Starmer’s biggest win of the day. Trump was optimistic about the possibility of concluding a free-trade deal with Britain that would mean no tariffs between the two countries – a process that began when Britain left the European Union during Trump’s first term.

Trump’s tariff word salad

And it was the moment when Trump was most effusive in his praise for his counterpart. “He tried,” Trump said of Starmer’s efforts to avoid tariffs. “He was working hard, I’ll tell you that. He earned whatever the hell they pay him over there.”

Indeed, Trump began the news conference by remarking – jovially – that the British prime minister was “a very tough negotiator … I’m not sure I like that, but that’s OK”.

Other countries were not so lucky: Trump posted on Truth Social that 25 per cent tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico would go ahead from March 4, and unexpectedly also hit Chinese goods with an extra 10 per cent tax.

For all of his sensitivity to criticism and preference for surrounding himself with sycophants, Trump respects toughness at the negotiating table. Like the schoolyard bully, he seizes on weakness and can only be stopped with strength.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull wrote in his memoir about dealing with Trump: “He was typical of more than a few of the billionaires I’ve known ... And the one thing I’d learnt with bullies is that sucking up to them is precisely the wrong way to go.

“Like any predator, he can sense fear and weakness from miles away. So, the best way to deal with someone like Trump is to be frank and forthright ... stand your ground.”

We know very little of Trump’s recent phone call with Anthony Albanese, other than that the president found the prime minister to be “a very fine man” who, crucially, ran a trade deficit with the US.

The optics of the encounter between Keir Starmer and Donald Trump were warm despite some disagreements.Credit: AP

Albanese will have much to take away from Starmer’s face-to-face with the president. Both come from the other side of politics to Trump, but that matters little to a leader who cares only about the transaction, the deal.

The Starmer encounter demonstrated yet again that you can’t always get everything you want, but sometimes you get what you need: respect.

It also suggests that if Australia is to avoid tariffs and ensure the president cares, or knows, about AUKUS, perhaps the best thing Albanese could do is to get on a plane to Washington.

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