US President Biden congratulates UK PM ‘Rashi Sanook’ during Diwali event at White House

Sunak, 42, on Monday, won the race to lead the Conservative Party and became Britain’s first prime minister of Indian-origin on Tuesday.

However, even before President Biden put out a separate Tweet congratulating PM Sunak, during the Diwali celebrations in the White House, President Biden mispronounced the UK PM’s name as ‘Rashi Sanook’ as reporters broke down in laughter and the 79 year old President continued in his address in a rather jolly mood.

Biden described Sunak’s rise to power as a ‘groundbreaking milestone’, expressing surprise at the fact that he belongs to the Conservative party. The White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also mispronounced Sunak’s name but corrected herself.

Sunak is the third UK prime minister this year and replaces Liz Truss, who served as Britain’s shortest-serving prime minister for just 45 days.

“Congratulations to Rishi Sunak on becoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Together, I look forward to enhancing our cooperation on issues critical to global security and prosperity, including continuing our strong support for Ukraine,” US President Joe Biden tweeted on Tuesday.

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday congratulated UK PM Rishi Sunak for being elected to lead the country. The US President Joe Biden lauded Rishi Sunak as a “ground-breaking milestone” and hoped for better bilateral relations amidst a turbulent world.

Sunak, 42, on Monday, won the race to lead the Conservative Party and became Britain’s first prime minister of Indian-origin on Tuesday.

However, even before President put out a separate Tweet congratulating PM Sunak, during the Diwali celebrations in the White House, President Biden mispronounced the UK PM’s name as ‘Rashi Sanook’ as reporters broke down in laughter and the 79 year old President continued in his address in a rather jolly mood. 

Biden described Sunak’s rise to power as a ‘groundbreaking milestone’, expressing surprise at the fact that he belongs to the Conservative party. The White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also mispronounced Sunak’s name but corrected herself

Sunak is the third UK prime minister this year and replaces Liz Truss, who served as Britain’s shortest-serving prime minister for just 45 days.

“Congratulations to Rishi Sunak on becoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Together, I look forward to enhancing our cooperation on issues critical to global security and prosperity, including continuing our strong support for Ukraine,” US President Joe Biden tweeted on Tuesday.

Earlier during a Diwali celebration at the White House on Monday, referring to Sunak becoming the British Prime Minister, Biden had said, “It’s pretty astounding, a groundbreaking milestone and it matters.”