Gayford’s ‘wide elbows’ to blame for flag trip-up

While Jacinda Ardern makes a splash in New York, partner Clarke Gayford made an entrance of his own at a party hosted by Donald Trump.

Ardern revealed that Gayford tripped over a flag when they were posing for photographs with Trump and wife Melania.

The couple were attending a reception hosted by the United States President to mark United Nations leaders week.

Melania Trump was apparently the one who reassured Gayford – she told him not to worry about it and it was OK, according to an account from the PM’S office.

Ardern and Gayford were among more than 100 world leaders who attended the function and lined up for photographs of themselves with the US President for the traditional ‘‘grip and grin’’.

There is usually only time for them to exchange a few words before the next world leader is wheeled in.

Ardern blamed Gayford’s ‘‘wide elbows’’ for the flag stumble.

Ardern said she and Trump had a brief exchange, the US President congratulating her on the birth of Neve. She reciprocated by acknowledging his work on the Korean Peninsula.

It was ‘‘lovely’’ of Trump to congratulate her on her baby but she had also used the opportunity to raise US tariffs on New Zealand steel and aluminium, Ardern said.

Trump ‘‘acknowledged’’ the work being done in that area but offered no reassurances.

World leaders rubbed shoulders again at a banquet hosted by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday (New York time).

Ardern joined a high powered line up of guests at that event and was seated around one of the top tables with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the President of the European Union Donald Tusk.