Barack Obama makes a surprise appearance at UK No10 for talks with Rishi Sunak
Barack Obama made a surprise appearance in Downing Street for talks with Rishi Sunak today.
The former US president, 62, waved and smiled as he strolled up to the famous No10 door this afternoon.
The visit, which lasted around an hour as the pair chatted in the PM’s study, was described as a ‘courtesy call’ as Mr Obama happened to be in London.
The agenda is a central mission of Mr Obama’s foundation, and speaking at a business event in Warwickshire earlier, the Prime Minister said: ‘I want my girls to grow up in an economy and society where there is no limit to their aspirations.’
Upon leaving the meeting he smiled and said ‘I’m tempted’ when he was asked his opinion on the state of Russian democracy by reporters before getting in a Range Rover with US ambassador to the UK Jane D Hartley just after 4pm.
Mr Obama later held private talks with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
One of the highest profile previous trips by Mr Obama was 2016, when he notoriously stood alongside David Cameron and warned that Britain would be ‘at the back of the queue’ for a trade deal after leaving the EU.
That intervention amid the referendum battle sparked fury from Brexiteers, although they also regarded it as helpful to their anti-establishment campaign.
The UK has not signed a trade deal with the US, although there was a major push for one when Donald Trump was president.
Mr Obama was in the White House from 2009 to 2017, with Joe Biden serving as his vice president.
The PM’s official spokesman said: ‘He was making an informal courtesy drop-in as part of his trip to London, where he is conducting work of the Obama Foundation.’
The spokesman added: ‘I think President Obama’s team made contact and obviously the Prime Minister was very happy to meet with him and discuss the work of the Obama Foundation.’
Mr Obama served two terms in the White House from 2009 to 2017 before he was succeeded by Republican Donald Trump.
When approached by DailyMail.com, a spokesperson for Obama declined to reveal the purpose of the visit and instead referred to the PM’s official spokesman statement.
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