President Donald Trump abruptly ended his participation in the NATO summit in London after a video emerged showing world leaders, including UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, apparently ridiculing him over his lengthy press conferences. The footage, captured at a Buckingham Palace reception on Tuesday evening, prompted Trump to cancel a planned press conference and label Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “two-faced.”
The video shows Trudeau, Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and Princess Anne in conversation. On a nearby microphone, Johnson is heard asking Macron, “Is that why he was late?” Trudeau then interjects, “He was late because he takes a 40-minute press conference off the top.” Macron’s response is inaudible, but Trudeau later adds, “You just watched his team’s jaws drop to the floor.”
Trump, sitting alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel, responded to a reporter’s question about the remarks by accusing Trudeau of being “two-faced” and reiterating his criticism of Canada’s failure to meet the NATO target of spending 2% of GDP on defence. “I find him to be a very nice guy but you know the truth is that I called him out the fact that he’s not paying 2%,” Trump said.
The US president later tweeted that he would return to Washington without holding a press conference, claiming he had already conducted many over the past two days. In a subsequent tweet, he described the trip as “very successful” and said he had secured increased spending from allies. However, the episode underscores the tense personal dynamics within the alliance.
When asked about the video, Johnson dismissed it as “complete nonsense” and declined to comment further. Downing Street aides suggested he had been “very busy” at the summit. Privately, British officials were reportedly relieved Trump did not face the media, fearing he might repeat criticisms of Johnson’s Brexit deal or comment on the NHS’s inclusion in future trade talks.
