Blundering Biden welcomes new PM ‘Rashee Sanook’!
JOE Biden welcomed the new Prime Minister yesterday by mispronouncing his name as ‘Rashee Sanook’.
Speaking at an event in Washington to mark the festival of Diwali – which Rishi Sunak as a Hindu observes – the US President undid his congratulatory ‘groundbreaking milestone’ message by stumbling over his name.
In his speech, the 79-year-old said: ‘And whether it’s the United Kingdom, where just today, we’ve got news that Rashee Sanook is now the prime minister. As my brother would say, “go figure”.’
He added: ‘Pretty astounding. A groundbreaking milestone. And it matters, it matters.’
Mr Sunak’s grandparents were from Punjab state before the Indian subcontinent was divided into India and Pakistan in 19 7 after British colonial rule ended.
His family moved to east Africa and settled in the UK in the 1960s. Mr Sunak was born in Southampton in 1980.
His rise to PM was celebrated in India where prime minister Narendra Modi talked up a plan to boost ties between the two countries.
He tweeted: ‘I look forward to working closely together on global issues, and implementing Roadmap 2030. Special Diwali wishes to the “living bridge” of UK Indians, as we transform our historic ties into a modern partnership.’ Indian news outlets were equally enthusiastic with New Delhi Television saying: ‘Indian son rises over the empire.’
Two of the UK’s closest allies also sent congratulations to Mr Sunak. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote that he was ready to strengthen ‘the strategic partnership’.
And French president Emmanuel Macron said that ‘together’ they would ‘tackle the challenges of the moment’.