UK PM says he intervened quickly as strict security made it risky for anyone else to enter

Keir Starmer found himself in an unexpected diplomatic role at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada — not as negotiator, but as a rescuer of fallen documents. The UK prime minister quickly bent down to retrieve papers dropped by Donald Trump, saying he did so to prevent a potential security incident if anyone else had tried.

Speaking to reporters a day after the moment unfolded, Starmer explained that while the move may have looked courteous, it was mostly about avoiding a much bigger problem.

“I mean, look, there weren’t many choices with the documents and picking it up,” he said. “There are quite strict rules about who can get close to the president. I was deeply conscious that it would not have been good for anybody else to step forward — not that any of you rushed to,” he added, glancing at assembled journalists.

The incident occurred during a public appearance between the two leaders on the sidelines of the G7. Trump had been holding documents related to a UK-US trade deal when he fumbled them, letting a sheaf of papers slip from his grasp.

Photos captured the moment the US president looked down while Starmer leaned in to collect the paperwork. Behind the scenes, aides and security reportedly tensed up — but Starmer’s swift intervention kept things calm.

Trump, who has returned to the international stage with characteristic bluster and a patchwork approach to detail, later confused matters further. During a brief Q&A, he incorrectly claimed he’d struck a deal with the European Union rather than the United Kingdom. His answers were described by some as unclear and rambling.

Asked directly if he was concerned about Trump’s health, Starmer dismissed the suggestion, saying: “No, he was in good form yesterday. We had several sessions together as the G7 and then into the evening as well.”

Despite their differing political philosophies — Starmer, a centre-left prosecutor; Trump, the populist right-wing firebrand — the two men appeared to get along. “He was again effusive in his praise for me,” Starmer acknowledged with a faint smile when pressed by the media.

Why does Trump like Starmer so much? The prime minister demurred: “That’s really for him to answer. But I think it’s that we do have a good relationship. I think that is in the national interest.”

He added, “There has long been a close relationship between the US and the UK, as I’ve said many times, especially on defence, security, and intelligence sharing. I’m very pleased that I’ve got a good relationship with him, notwithstanding, as both he and I acknowledge, that our political backgrounds are different.”

The relationship may be cordial, but the moment of dropped papers — and who picked them up — offered a revealing glimpse into the choreography of diplomacy in high-security spaces. Had a journalist or aide tried to help, it could have caused confusion or even provoked a reaction from the president’s protective detail.

In that split second, Starmer did more than tidy up. He navigated an awkward moment that might otherwise have spiralled into a minor international incident — all with a quick bend and a firm grasp of protocol.