Utterly Humiliating’: Starmer Faces Mockery After Awkward Trump Moment at Middle East Peace Summit
Keir Starmer has been the subject of ridicule after an awkward moment with former US President Donald Trump at a high-profile Middle East peace summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
The summit, designed to celebrate a historic peace agreement between Israel and Hamas, saw world leaders gather on stage. Starmer appeared confused when Trump called out, “Where’s the United Kingdom?”
Wow – Trump just humiliated Keir Starmer on the World Stage ‼️
Watch The UK Prime Minister approach the Podium thinking that he’s going to say some words, only for Trump to completely cut him off.
Trump knows exactly what he’s doing here. pic.twitter.com/bwh14wIzjZ
— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) October 13, 2025
For a brief, cringeworthy moment, the Prime Minister raised his arm, seemingly unsure if he was being summoned to the lectern. He then approached Trump to shake hands.
Trump greeted him warmly, saying: “Is everything going good? Nice to have you here.” The ex-president then returned to the lectern, leaving Starmer seemingly at a loss for how to respond.
Slowly, the Prime Minister returned to his spot among the other leaders. Trump continued, commenting on the tight timing of the arrivals: “These people all came in like 20-minute notice, and I think it’s fantastic.”
The interaction quickly went viral online. Political journalist Dan Hodges commented, “OK, this is utterly humiliating. Keir Starmer thought Trump was inviting him to speak. Then had to walk back.”
Meanwhile, former News presenter Colin Brazier was equally scathing on X: “Margaret Thatcher, whose centenary falls today, was an almost equal partner with Ronald Reagan.
Together, they won the Cold War. Thatcher was able to stiffen the spine of President Bush Snr, when he went ‘wobbly’ on Gulf War One. Now, in her stead, we have this forgettable pygmy.”
Not everyone was critical. Political editor Christopher Hope suggested there was more context: “The context of this (lost on X) is that about 10 minutes earlier, President Donald Trump had turned round and asked the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif (standing behind Trump) to speak.
That may have been why Keir Starmer appeared to pause and think he may have to say something.”
Starmer himself later shared a photo of the handshake on social media. He wrote: “President Trump, this is your achievement. I thank you for your tireless efforts to deliver this moment. The UK stands ready to support a full implementation of the peace plan.”
The moment has sparked widespread debate online, with the Prime Minister’s brief confusion contrasted sharply with the decisive historical partnerships of past UK leaders.
