During this week’s Global Peace Summit, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks about the possibility of World War 3 sparked a noticeable reaction from British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who appeared visibly concerned while standing behind Trump and other world leaders.
Trump’s speech, which he described as marking a “historic day,” came as major countries including Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey publicly endorsed his Gaza peace initiative. However, an awkward moment drew attention online when Starmer was caught on camera looking startled, just after a lip reader reportedly decoded Trump’s five-word comment to French President Emmanuel Macron during an intense handshake.
“We’re going to make sure the Middle East is a safe and secure place,” Trump declared, rejecting predictions that global conflict could start in the region.
“It’s not going to happen. There was a time you thought it could… but there won’t be World War 3 hopefully not at all but it won’t start in the Middle East. We’re not going to have a World War 3 if we’re smart,” he added, according to Express US.
The British Prime Minister’s uneasy facial expression quickly became a talking point on social media, as cameras caught him shifting awkwardly while Trump addressed the audience.
Later, as leaders queued to greet the U.S. president, Starmer found himself behind Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani a moment some analysts viewed as symbolic of the U.K.’s reduced influence on the world stage.
The summit followed a major breakthrough: Hamas released the final 20 Israeli hostages, paving the way for the first phase of Trump’s ceasefire deal which includes expanded humanitarian aid to Gaza, partial Israeli troop withdrawals, and the release of Palestinian detainees.
Trump, who had just received a hero’s welcome in Israel’s Knesset where lawmakers chanted his name and wore “Trump: The Peace President” hats, told leaders:
“We have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to put the old feuds and bitter hatreds behind us.”
Starmer, who had flown in specifically for the event, later told reporters:
“What happens tomorrow really matters. I’ve been discussing with leaders what part we can play. The U.K. can help monitor the ceasefire and assist in decommissioning Hamas weaponry, drawing on our Northern Ireland experience.”
While some delegates supported Britain’s involvement, Trump favored a U.S.-led monitoring force, announcing that about 200 American troops would oversee the process, with Britain likely to take a supporting role after further negotiations.
Nearly three dozen nations attended the summit, which Trump celebrated as proof that “everyone said it couldn’t be done but it’s happening before your very eyes.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who did not attend due to a Jewish holiday, praised Trump from afar, calling him “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House.”
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