Biden on Rishi Sunak becoming the next UK PM: ‘Groundbreaking milestone’

United States President Joe Biden on Monday hailed Rishi Sunak as the next prime minister of the UK and called his win a “ground-breaking milestone”.

Speaking at a Diwali event at the White House, Biden said that Sunak’s win is “pretty astounding”. “A groundbreaking milestone, and it matters, it matters,” Biden was quoted as saying in reports.

Earlier, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre informed that Biden would wait to offer his official congratulations until Sunak’s meeting with King Charles III, as a protocol. Sunak is due to meet King Charles III on Tuesday.

She also said that the US president will be speaking with Sunak in the coming day, news agency AFP reported. “President Biden looks forward to speaking with Minister Sunak in the upcoming days and to our continued close cooperation with the United Kingdom,” she said.

Rishi Sunak became the UK’s next prime minister – replacing his once rival Liz Truss – after winning the battle for leadership of Britain’s Conservative party. This came after Penny Mordaunt – the last rival after Boris Johnson pulled out of the race, failed to secure the necessary 100 nominations from her fellow MPs. With this, Rishi Sunak is set to become the first Indian-origin prime minister of the UK.

Outgoing prime minister Liz Truss had announced her intention to resign last week following an open revolt against her leadership in the Conservative Party. With just 45 days in office, she is the United Kingdom prime minister with the shortest tenure so far.