Donald Trump has been quipped into place by New Zealand’s newly elected Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern.
The leaders shared a light-hearted exchange while in the Philippines for trade talks with the 37-year-old responding to a comment from the Republican with a razor-sharp zinger.
The remark caught the attention of famed Kiwi comedian, Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Concords fame, among other New Zealanders, who beamed over the “sick burn” and contrasted Ardern’s sassiness with the often sycophantic stylings of the country’s former leaders.
Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern [to Donald Trump, right to his face]: “Well, at least no one marched when I was elected” pic.twitter.com/3xq6gqffgj
John Key: *goes on late night US TV & makes us look like a joke* Bill English: “mphf mmughth spaghetti on pizza” Jacinda Ardern: *delivers sick burn right to Donald Trump’s face*
November 16, 2017
Trump told a person standing beside the Labour leader: “This lady caused a lot of upset in her country” referring to the July election after which Ardern’s party formed a coalition to oust the Government .
Ardern initially replied saying, “only maybe 40 percent”, but when the president repeated it, she retorted: “I said, ‘You know’, laughing, ‘no-one marched when I was elected’,” Newsroom reported.
Millions of people from all over the world marched in opposition to the agenda and rhetoric of Trump in the wake of his win, with ABC reporting more than 600 rallies took place in 60 counties across the world when he was inaugurated.
Trump’s remark was intended as a joke and he reportedly laughed, but “It was only afterwards that I reflect that it could have been taken in a very particular way – he did not seem offended,” Ardern told Newsroom.
The two leaders met for the first time during an APEC conference in Vietnam, after being introduced by Canadian leader Justin Trudeau.
Ardern shook Trump’s hand and said it was a “standard handshake”. Trump is famed for his overly aggressive greetings.
Ardern’s response to Trump shaking hands with Russian leader Vladimir Putin was also seized upon on social media.
PM Jacinda Ardern’s expression while Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin shake hands at APEC / *Competition* Winner gets a NZ Art Parallels coffee cup: Winston Peters edition. pic.twitter.com/flqyAXIYyZ
November 12, 2017
Gotta be the OG verified Caravaggio Judith Beheading Holofernes though; matching outfit and everything (apologies @Thoughtfulnz). pic.twitter.com/fZnqnVAowU — Tze Ming Mok (@tzemingdynasty) November 12, 2017
#nzartparallels winner~@DrJessBerentson for: PM Jacinda Ardern’s expression while Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin shake hands at APEC / Rita Angus, Self Portrait, 1937. *Pls DM address for commemorative Winston Peters coffee cup prize. * Entries here:https://t.co/fNw3ZQkd3B pic.twitter.com/ysYoQj0zJh — NZ Art Parallels (@NZAHParallels) November 14, 2017