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- Published: September 16, 2021 16:24
New Delhi: US President Joe Biden appeared to forget Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s name during a press conference on key military alliance. The embarrassing moment caught the attention of all as US President forgot Australian PM’s name and rather referred him as ‘That Fellow Down Under.’
The apparent slip-up came during the announcement of AUKUS military alliance among 3 nations – US, UK and Australia.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Morrison had joined Biden to unveil the trilateral security partnership called ‘AUKUS’, that will help Australia create a multibillion-dollar fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.
US President Joe Biden appeared to forget Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s name during this morning’s historic announcement of a new defence pact.
Biden said “I wanna thank that fella down under” after thanking UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.https://t.co/a9AwdxnrYj#9News pic.twitter.com/0aULXfJJS2
— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) September 15, 2021
“Thank you, Boris and… and I want to thank that fellow Down Under. Thank you very much, pal. Appreciate it, Mr Prime Minister,” said Joe Biden after appreciating the British premier.
Australia has collaborated with the United States and the United Kingdom to form a new trilateral security partnership named AUKUS, through the virtual press conference. The initiative focuses on the advancement of technology and prolonged stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Australian media pans Biden for embarrassing gaffe
As per reports, Joe Biden has made several slip-ups earlier also but this one got the Australians offended and its media took the opportunity to criticize US President for the goof-up.
Australian media and the country’s netizens quickly latched on to the embarrassing slip-up.
Cairns Post’s headline featured, “Thanks pal’: Biden appears to forget Morrison’s name.”
An analysis by the Sidney Morning Herald said that the deal, “may not have got off to the shining start for which Morrison hoped, of course, when US President Joe Biden appeared to forget his name at the crucial moment.”
The deal among the countries will enable Australia to switch from the French-designed diesel-powered submarines costing $90 billion.
Australia has 40% reserves of world’s total uranium supplies. The deal would help the country accept nuclear power to cut down the carbon emission.