During Donald Trump’s much-anticipated address at the Gaza peace summit, an unexpected moment between the former U.S. President and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer quickly went viral online and not for the reasons one might expect.
As Trump delivered his remarks praising the newly signed peace deal between Israel and Hamas, he suddenly turned his attention to the British leader in the crowd. Looking out across the audience, Trump asked, “Where is the United Kingdom? Where is our friend?” Moments later, he spotted Keir Starmer, who responded with a modest wave before being invited to join Trump on stage.
The brief exchange between the two leaders quickly became the talk of social media. Trump asked Starmer, “Is everything going well?” to which the Prime Minister replied, “Yes, very good.”
However, many viewers found the encounter awkward. GB News, which had paused its regular programming to air the event, was soon flooded with comments from people calling the moment “cringe-worthy” and “painful to watch.”
One viewer wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Painful to watch Starmer just standing there.” Another joked, “Starmer’s face was waiting for Trump to say his name.” A third added, “Second-hand embarrassment watching Starmer look completely out of place.”
Despite the social media reaction, the event itself marked a major diplomatic milestone. Trump announced that the peace agreement between Israel and Hamas had officially ended two years of conflict in Gaza. All remaining hostages held by Hamas were released through the Red Cross and returned safely to Israel, where they were taken to hospitals for medical care.
Speaking after the ceremony, Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged the significance of the deal but stressed that the work ahead would be crucial.
“Today is a really historic day,” Starmer said. “Credit to President Trump and the other leaders who brought us here. But the real challenge begins tomorrow in implementation.”
Starmer added that the United Kingdom would support post-war efforts, including monitoring the ceasefire and helping to decommission Hamas’s weapons, drawing on Britain’s past peace process experience in Northern Ireland.
While many found the Trump-Starmer exchange uncomfortable, others praised the British Prime Minister for keeping his composure during a highly publicized and unpredictable moment on the world stage.
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