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Rishi Sunak, the United Kingdom’s prime minister, is visiting the White House to strengthen the country’s special relationship with the United States. Sunak, the first U.K. prime minister of Indian descent, was first introduced by U.S. President Joe Biden last fall during Diwali celebrations at the White House. However, Biden and his press secretary have repeatedly mispronounced the prime minister’s name, raising concerns about a lack of understanding or care from the U.S. administration. Sunak is hoping to reset the relationship between the two countries and prove that, despite Brexit and political turmoil in London, the U.K. remains a valuable ally to the U.S. In particular, Sunak is looking to improve targeted trade between the two countries, lobby for Ben Wallace to become the next NATO secretary-general, and position the U.K. as a leader in AI.
Section 1: Background
When Rishi Sunak became the United Kingdom’s prime minister last fall, it was right around the Indian holiday of Diwali — and Sunak is the first U.K. prime minister of Indian descent. So President Biden gave him a shout-out at the White House Diwali party. But he botched the pronunciation of Sunak’s name. So did his press secretary. By January, he still couldn’t get it right. (It’s pronounced RIH-shee — rhymes with dishy — SOO-nak. Some U.K. media even nicknamed him Dishy Rishi.) That left some in London with the impression the Biden administration hadn’t learned who the British prime minister was — or didn’t care.
Section 2: Goals and Priorities
Sunak’s visit to the White House is aimed at improving the special relationship between the U.K. and the U.S. and proving that the U.K. remains an important ally despite political turbulence. Sunak’s goals include improving targeted trade between the two countries, lobbying for Ben Wallace to become the next NATO secretary-general, and positioning the U.K. as a leader in AI.
Section 3: Trade and Defense
Any hopes of a major post-Brexit trade deal with the U.S. have been abandoned though, with Sunak instead saying he is focused on specific and targeted ways to improve trade between the two countries. These reportedly may include a carve-out to protect the U.K. car industry from Biden’s green subsidies, or some offer on digital services. But some say this would be only a minor win. Ukraine is expected to dominate Thursday’s White House talks, with the topic becoming more urgent in light of the destruction of a dam in southern Ukraine this week, and amid speculation about the start of the Ukrainian military’s long-awaited counteroffensive. Sunak may lobby Biden to back his U.K. defense secretary, Ben Wallace, to become the next secretary-general of NATO. The current one, Jens Stoltenberg, is expected to step down in September.
Section 4: AI
In a bid to position the U.K. as a leader on AI, Sunak’s government announced late Wednesday that London would host a global AI summit this fall to discuss ways of monitoring the technology’s risks. Sunak insisted that this midsized country happens to be a global leader in the technology. However, analysts say Britain may struggle to keep up with the EU, which is also a leader on AI. Sunak will be looking for any wins from this White House visit, including continued collaboration on Ukraine and hopefully, a U.S. administration that’s learned how to pronounce his name.
Conclusion:
Sunak’s visit to the White House is an opportunity to strengthen the special relationship between the U.K. and the U.S. Despite concerns over political turbulence and mispronunciation of his name by the U.S. president and press secretary, Sunak is hoping to show that the U.K. remains a valuable ally to the U.S. Sunak’s goals include improving targeted trade, lobbying for Ben Wallace to become the next NATO secretary-general, and positioning the U.K. as a leader in AI.
FAQ
1. What is the purpose of Sunak’s visit to the White House?
Sunak is visiting the White House to strengthen the special relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States.
2. What are Sunak’s goals for the visit?
Sunak’s goals include improving targeted trade between the U.K. and the U.S., lobbying for Ben Wallace to become the next NATO secretary-general, and positioning the U.K. as a leader in AI.
3. What are the concerns over political turbulence and mispronunciation of Sunak’s name?
Mispronunciation of Sunak’s name by the U.S. president and press secretary has raised concerns about a lack of understanding or care from the U.S. administration.
4. What topics are expected to dominate the White House talks?
Ukraine is expected to dominate the White House talks, with the destruction of a dam in southern Ukraine and speculation about the start of the Ukrainian military’s counteroffensive.
5. What is the U.K.’s position on AI?
Sunak’s government is positioning the U.K. as a leader on AI, with London set to host a global AI summit to discuss ways of monitoring the technology’s risks. However, analysts say the U.K. may struggle to keep up with the EU, which is also a leader in AI.
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