New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will be meeting US President Donald Trump on September 23 in New York. This is going to be the first-ever formal meeting between both the leaders since taking the office. PM Ardern will be leaving Wellington on September 18 to visit Japan to take part in an official summit in Tokyo. After that, she will be visiting New York to attend the UN leaders general assembly meeting. She will also be giving the keynote speech at the climate action summit. Meanwhile, Deputy PM Winston Peters will be the acting Prime Minister for the duration of the trip.

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Trump and Ardern 

Both leaders have had an eventful history together. Ardern reportedly joined a march championing women's right before she was elected Prime Minister. She has also allegedly rejected the US President's view on the threat of white nationalism and recently also claimed that she completely disagrees with President Trump's reported comments telling four minority women lawmakers to go back to where they came from. In November 2017, President Trump also allegedly mistook her for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wife at the East Asia summit in Vietnam. At the same conference, PM Ardern also reportedly told Trump that no one marched when she was elected. The New Zealand Prime Minister also claimed that the relationship between the US and NZ was robust. She alleged that she would focus on economic issues during her meeting with the President.

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US a key security partner for NZ

The United States is a key security partner for New Zealand and an important trading partner. New Zealand was also a strong advocate for the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which the President withdrew the United States from in 2017. A modified trade pact without the US was also formed last year. PM Ardern shot to prominence after an unexpected victory in the NZ 2017 election and has been feted globally as part of the new wave of progressive young leaders. Her pregnancy and maternity leave and the birth of her daughter while in the office is also seen as symbolizing progress for women in leadership goals. 

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