Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was caught on camera apparently criticizing the length of U.S. President Donald Trump’s press conferences during an informal chat with world leaders at Tuesday’s NATO Summit in London.
The video, recorded during a Buckingham Palace reception following the day’s summit activities, was posted by CBC News Network’s Power & Politics Twitter account:
.@JustinTrudeau, @EmmanuelMacron, @BorisJohnson and other VIPs shared a few words at a Buckingham Palace reception Tuesday. No one mentions @realDonaldTrump by name, but they seem to be discussing his lengthy impromptu press conferences from earlier in the day. (Video: Host Pool) pic.twitter.com/dVgj48rpOP
— Power & Politics (@PnPCBC) December 3, 2019
“Is that why you were late?” a smiling British Prime Minster Boris Johnson appeared to ask.
“He was late because he takes 40 minute press conference off the top,” Trudeau said. “Oh ya ya ya, he announced …”
At which point French President Emmanuel Macron said something which couldn’t be heard by the video.
“You just watched his team’s jaws drop to the floor,” Trudeau continued. (RELATED: Trump Trade Advisor: There’s A ‘Special Place In Hell’ For Trudeau)
The 25-second clip ended with some unintelligible dialogue.
(Photo by Yui Mok – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
The relationship between the liberal Trudeau and conservative American president has often been marked by Trump pressing Canada on both trade deals and, as occurred at Tuesday’s summit, paying its share for NATO defense.
“We’ll put Canada on a payment plan, you know, we’ll put them on a payment plan,” Trump said Tuesday while sitting across from Trudeau. “I’m sure the prime minister would love that.”
Trudeau responded by insisting his government has made “significant investments” in air and naval defense and is “increasing significantly” its defense spending from prior cuts.