US President Donald Trump invited UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the podium to shake his hand, but netizens claimed that Starmer wanted to speak, but only to be barred by Trump.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was trolled by a section of the internet who believe he was snubbed by US President Donald Trump when the former appeared to express a desire to speak with the US President at the podium in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh but left without saying anything.
Videos of the apparent “snub” have gone viral, with many British netizens claiming that Trump “humiliated” Starmer. The footage shows Trump asking, “Where is the UK?”, prompting Starmer to raise his hand. Trump then gestured for him to approach, shook his hand, said a few words and watched as Starmer returned
to his place among the other leaders. During Trump’s address, world leaders invited to Egypt were seen standing behind him on stage.
Clash Report, an X account that claims to deliver breaking news, shared the video with the caption: “Starmer approached the podium. ‘It’s nice that you’re here,’ Trump said, then sent him back, offending Starmer.” Some users even claimed that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni appeared “amused” by the exchange.
Several UK-based X accounts echoed the assessment that Starmer was snubbed—a perception that comes at a time when the Labour Party leader is grappling with growing leadership challenges back home.
The queen of telling you EXACTLY what she is thinking through facial expressions! 😍🤣
— Alexander! The Great British Patriot! 🇬🇧🇺🇲🇮🇱 (@Narzzaa) October 13, 2025
Although Starmer led Labour back to power in July last year after 14 years in opposition, a series of scandals and policy missteps have already cast doubts on his political future.
Labour is now trailing Reform by 12 points, while Starmer’s satisfaction ratings have fallen to the lowest recorded by Ipsos for any British prime minister since 1977. Despite earning some credit for managing relations with Trump and coordinating European support for Ukraine, Starmer has endured a difficult 14 months domestically as prime minister.
Trump's set-up was classic. Mentioning several times he didn't know why anyone would be standing behind him instead of sitting in front. He knew EXACTLY where Starmer was, AND that Starmer was trying to be noticed.
— Jerry Olson (@JerryOlson1) October 13, 2025
Britain’s sluggish economy has fuelled reports of an impending tax-heavy budget, while Starmer has been forced to reverse plans on welfare reforms and scrap energy benefits for pensioners after backlash from Labour’s left-wing base. Meanwhile, record arrivals of undocumented migrants on small boats have bolstered support for Reform.
Starmer’s recent attempts to reboot his government were derailed in September when Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner resigned over unpaid property taxes. Soon after, he dismissed Britain’s ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, following renewed revelations about his ties to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“His leadership is in crisis,” said political scientist Steven Fielding while speaking to news agency AFP earlier this year.
