Rex Tillerson gets frosty welcome in New Zealand – complete with single finger salutes

Wellington failed to put on the charm for the secretary of state, with the US media surprised to see people giving his motorcade the ‘bird’

The US Secretary of State has been met with a frosty reception and a backhanded compliment from the prime minister while on a flying visit to New Zealand.Rex Tillerson arrived in wet and windy Wellington for an eight-hour visit on Tuesday, with his motorcade greeted by middle fingers and thumbs-downs.Fairfax Media reported that the US media contingent were surprised by the hostile reception from members of the public.

“I’ve never seen so many people flip the bird at an American motorcade as I saw today,” the New York Times’ Washington correspondent, Gardiner Harris, told Stuff.co.nz.

About 200 protesters with the climate change action group 350 Aotearoa were gathered outside Parliament to “unwelcome” Tillerson, following president Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris accord.

The prime minister himself was less than effusive over Tillerson’s visit.

At a press conference, Bill English said: “New Zealanders have for a long time not liked various presidents of the US and disagreed with their views about our anti-nuke policies for 30 years – but that doesn’t prevent us confirming our shared values and cooperating with them on security and defence.”


English later told news media that he and Tillerson “discussed our disagreement over the withdrawal from the Paris agreement”. According to Stuff’s report, Tillerson stood by Trump’s decision to exit the deal that he said did not serve US interests.

James Shaw said later in parliament that New Zealand had a “proud history” of standing up to the US over nuclear weapons: “Today we should stick up for the climate.”

Last edited by Goose (6/07/2017 6:42 am)