Boris Johnson meeting world leaders at the Oval office
(Picture: Andrew Parsons / No10 Downing St)Boris Johnson has cut a maverick figure on his trip to New York by not consistently wearing a mask.
In photos shared by the foreign office, the Prime Minister is seen gripping his mask with one hand and some papers with the other despite Biden, foreign secretary Liz Truss, Kamala Harris and other officials in the room comfortably clad in face coverings as they put the world to rights in the Oval Office.
It would appear that Johnson was the one talking during these pics but it is still a jarring image to behold.
Yesterday PM @BorisJohnson and Foreign Sec @trussliz visited Washington D.C. for meetings with @POTUS Joe Biden and @VP Kamala Harris.
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) September 22, 2021
The 🇬🇧 & 🇺🇸 are staunch allies and the closest of partners. We stand side-by-side to protect our people and defend our values around the world. pic.twitter.com/PCiPzbKtfL
Johnson was trying to secure a trade deal with the US during the trip. But on Tuesday, Biden said “we’ll have to work that through” creating the sense that this might not be the walk in the (Central) park Johnson had hoped.
The two did however find common ground with both promising to take further action on climate change and sharing military and intelligence assets. They also spoke about maintaining peace in Northern Ireland during the three-day jaunt.
As for the pics, in other photos Johnson does then mask up so indicating that he was talking at that moment in time.
Yesterday PM @BorisJohnson and Foreign Sec @trussliz visited Washington D.C. for meetings with @POTUS Joe Biden and @VP Kamala Harris.
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) September 22, 2021
The 🇬🇧 & 🇺🇸 are staunch allies and the closest of partners. We stand side-by-side to protect our people and defend our values around the world. pic.twitter.com/PCiPzbKtfL
Nevertheless, maskless pics are not the photos we would expect official government accounts to share on social media given their potential to cause controversy.
Indeed, some people questioned why he was the only person to go without a mask:
Imagine being the only leader there who decides he's too important to wear a mask.
— Jon Chalk (@Jon_Chalk1) September 23, 2021
Could you ask @BorisJohnson to explain why he felt it was acceptable to be the only person in the room not wearing a mask?
— Kerry Thomas 💙 (@kerryanna2709) September 23, 2021
Where's Johnson's mask?
— LAP sac (@lap_sac) September 22, 2021
It's very telling that Johnson was the only person in the room not wearing a mask.
— AT (@photofan9000) September 23, 2021
PR nightmare.
