Overview

• Video from the Sharm el-Sheikh peace summit shows President Trump calling out for the UK, beckoning Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the lectern, shaking his hand, and then resuming his remarks as Starmer returned to the lineup without speaking.
• The exchange spread quickly across social platforms, where posts framed it as a humiliation for Starmer, with some users noting that Italy’s Giorgia Meloni appeared amused and X’s AI bot Grok summarizing the scene as leaving Starmer looking awkward.
• Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman told GB News the episode was an embarrassment and criticized Starmer’s judgment, using the moment to attack his position on recognizing Palestinian statehood.
• There has been no indication of any official diplomatic protest, as discussion has centered on the optics for the UK–US “special relationship.”
• The incident occurred during a summit backing a Gaza ceasefire and reconstruction planning, where the UK said it would provide £20 million for water and sanitation and host a three-day conference on Gaza’s recovery.