Politics

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wraps up five-day US trip

13:37 pm on 13 July 2024

The Prime Minister is wrapping up his whirlwind five-day trip to the US which has been crammed with meetings with world leaders.

Christopher Luxon is currently in San Francisco where he has met with Gavin Newsom, the California Governor highly tipped to be the next Democrat President.

This comes as a beleaguered Joe Biden has been under pressure to step down from the Presidential election race after a string of bad public appearances.

On Friday (NZT) Biden held his first solo unscripted press conference in weeks where he confused his deputy Kamala Harris with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Earlier in the day he had introduced Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky as President Putin.

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Newsom has had a lot of attention around him as many in the Democrat party question whether Biden is up to the job to run.

Asked by New Zealand media whether he would step up if Biden decides not to run, Newsom said: "No, he's our nominee and I look forward to supporting him at our convention and on election day."

Luxon and Newsom held their bilateral at Oracle Park - home of the Giants baseball team.

The prime minister was tossed a few balls at the park and Newsom later complimented him on being the only man in a suit who has visited and hit every ball.

(Left to right) Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon and President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol attend a meeting of the heads of state of the North Atlantic Council, Indo-Pacifc Partners and the European Union, during the 2024 NATO Summit on 11 July, 2024 in Washington, DC. Photo: Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images / AFP

Luxon said the experience was a dream come true and a highlight of his trip.

Earlier today, Luxon met with SailGP chief executive Russell Coutts and sailors Blair Tuke and Peter Burling ahead of their grand final race in San Francisco on Sunday.

He has also had lunch with a group of potential New Zealand investors and has visits to Apple and NASA before wrapping up his five-day US trip later today.