In brief
Morgan McSweeney, who advised UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, recalls a light‑hearted exchange during the former leader’s first call with US President Donald Trump. McSweeney admits he had anticipated a more serious tone, only to find the president using playful remarks about foxes eating birds that had been killed by his favourite term for wind turbines. Observers were barely able to hold in their laughter as Trump elaborated that the foxes’ over‑indulgence led them to forget whether they were animals or accidents. The former aide stressed that Trump’s humor was intentional, and his comments were received with both amusement and surprise. This anecdote offers a glimpse of how political diplomacy can shift into levity, even in high‑profile contexts.
It was during the second week of 2026 when former chief aide Morgan McSweeney reflected upon a phone conversation that altered the tone of his first briefing on the UK’s new leadership. The meeting, which was orchestrated between the United States and United Kingdom, saw Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Donald Trump communicate via a secure line.
McSweeney recounted that the president’s attempt to lighten the mood was surprisingly effective. He recalls a joke that crudely linked foxes to birds that had been killed by something he referred to as windmills—slang for wind turbines. The humor, which painted the foxes as lazy and fat, apparently caused the room to laugh so hard that even the most composed state officials could barely restrain themselves.
When asked whether the president had truly intended to be funny, McSweeney replied emphatically. He confirmed that Trump’s remarks were deliberate, a strategy that served to ease tension in a backdrop of unpredictable diplomacy.
Beyond the anecdote, the conversation highlighted the delicate nature of statecraft: a surge of levity can often represent a breaking point within longbow negotiations, offering a relief valve before a more serious discussion is resumed later in the call.
