Watch: Jacinda Ardern skilfully dodges Stephen Colbert's efforts to create 'diplomatic incident' over Trump's UN speech

September 27, 2018

Jacinda Ardern skilfully negotiated questions about the infamous laughing incident during President Donald Trump's UN speech on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert this afternoon.

The Prime Minister jokingly accused the host of trying to start a "diplomatic incident" between New Zealand and Australia when he asked her if she laughed at Mr Trump with other world leaders during his UN speech, when he boasted about the US.

"I observed," she answered drawing laughter from the audience.

Colbert then praised her on the handling of his questioning saying "very well done".

Mr Tump came up again when Ms Ardern recounted a funny story about meeting him on her trip to the US.

"So, your friends in Australia got an exception to the steel and aluminium tariff. Did you guys get one?" Colbert asked.

Ms Ardern answered in the negative.

"We did not, we're still working on it though. In fact, I had a very brief encounter with the president at a reception as part of the General Assembly week and I did raise it with him," she said, going on to explain not everything went to plan.

"There was a slight distraction, my partner knocked over a flag pole," the Prime Minister said to laughs from the crowd.

Colbert then quizzed her if partner Clarke Gayford's clumsy move happened while she was still talking to the president.

"Right at the end of it, so I mentioned it (the tariffs), he acknowledged that we're still working on it – which we are – and then, then the flag went down," Ms Ardern said.

The Prime Minister couldn't remember if it was an American flag or not, Colbert joked that if it was the couple would have been escorted to the border.

Colbert then pointed out he could safely call Ms Ardern a Hobbit considering she grew up close to where Lord of the Rings was filmed.

The host admitted he was a big fan of Hobbiton - a fact the Prime Minister knew and used to her advantage, presenting him with a mug from the tourist location as well as special document - an offer to make him an official citizen of Hobbiton.

"The official calligrapher who did the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit wrote up your official invitation so come to New Zealand and we’ll make the ceremony official."

The pair finished the interview discussing where Ms Ardern lives now - a Point Chevalier residence in Auckland which used to serve as a pre-school.

"It actually also used to be a training school for dental nurses as well," Ms Ardern said.

"So I now have people visit and they look around and they sort of shudder having relived the experience of having their teeth extracted."

Colbert finished the interview with a gag, saying the White House had once been an ice cream shop.

Ms Ardern's next major appearance in New York will be tomorrow, when she addresses the General Assembly at the United Nations.

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