People across the globe were shocked on March 18th when former President Barack Obama was pictured at Rishi Sunak’s front door. Pausing outside only momentarily before going inside the former Prime Minister’s home on fabled Downing Street in London, he entered alone, with the British finance minister entering through the main door on the other side of the building. Leaving an hour later with US Ambassador to London Jane Hartley, Obama showed little expression entering or leaving.
While neither US nor British officials would comment about the visit, the last time Obama entered from Downing Street was in 2016. During that visit, he exited and warned that if the British people voted to pass Brexit, the UK would be last in line for US trade deals. While never fulfilling that promise while in office, Biden seemed to take that personally and enforce it himself.
Rather than work trade deals with the US, the Crown has instead done deals with individual states like Texas. This move is vastly different than we have seen with previous Presidents, but then again, Biden has refused to honor storied relationships. Instead, he has opted to disrespect the history between both nations and pushed his personal feelings over the strength of a united front.
Obama’s sudden reemergence as the Biden campaign for reelection wanes isn’t surprising, but the choice in tactics and visits is surprising. Still having deals in conjunction with the UK across Africa and the Middle East in place from his Presidency, it’s not surprising the former President keeping up a relationship. Yet house calls like this have never been his strong suit, especially without the whole family coming along on the Government dime.
