NATO leaders gossip about Trump in unguarded chat

In footage recorded during a reception at Buckingham Palace, UK Prime Minister asked his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, “Is that why you were late?” Trudeau could be heard saying “he was late because he takes a 40-minute press conference off the top." That appeared to be a reference to Trump’s long and unscheduled question-and-answer session with journalists earlier on Tuesday.

London: While NATO leaders are professing unity as they gather for a summit near London, several seem to have been caught in an unguarded exchange on camera apparently gossiping about the US President Donald Trump’s behavior.

In footage recorded during a reception at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was seen standing in a huddle with French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Britain’s Princess Anne, daughter of Queen Elizabeth II.

After Johnson asked Macron, “Is that why you were late?” Trudeau could be heard saying “he was late because he takes a 40-minute press conference off the top." That appeared to be a reference to Trump’s long and unscheduled question-and-answer session with journalists earlier on Tuesday.

Trudeau also said: “You just watched his team's jaws drop to the floor."

Trump wasn’t mentioned by name during the exchange.

Footage of the palace reception was recorded by a pool camera. It was posted online by Canadian broadcaster CBC and has been viewed more than 4 million times.

NATO leaders are meeting on Wednesday in Watford, outside London, to mark the 70th anniversary of the military alliance — and to try to patch up differences over defence spending, the alliance’s strategic direction and member nation Turkey’s military action in northern Syria.