World Leaders Caught Mocking Trump at NATO Summit
At a NATO reception at Buckingham Palace, Trudeau, Macron, Johnson, and Rutte were caught on camera laughing about Trump's behavior. An embarrassed Trump called Trudeau "two-faced" and left the summit early.
At the NATO 70th anniversary reception at Buckingham Palace on December 3, 2019, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, British PM Boris Johnson, and Dutch PM Mark Rutte were caught on video laughing about Trump's behavior.
Trudeau was heard saying Trump was late because of a "40-minute press conference" and describing watching "his team's jaws drop." Princess Anne also appeared to be part of the conversation. The leaders were visibly amused and clearly discussing Trump's behavior with a mixture of disbelief and mockery.
The video went viral worldwide. An embarrassed Trump retaliated by calling Trudeau "two-faced" and abruptly departed the summit early, cancelling a scheduled press conference.
The incident was significant not because of its seriousness — it was a gossipy moment among allies — but because of what it revealed: the leaders of America's closest allies, in an unguarded moment, treated the U.S. president as a figure of ridicule. This was the private face of a diplomatic relationship that had been strained to the breaking point.