Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks with media following her meeting with President Biden at the White House. Video / Claire Trevett
If a gift is a sign of the status of a relationship with a US President, PM Jacinda's Ardern's pick of Swanndri dog jackets for Joe Biden's dogs, Major and Commander, are telling.
It is a personal present, albeit accompanied by more traditional gifts of a pounamu waihaka and aswamp kauri bowl – and a merino scarf for the First Lady.
But it shows a personal touch – and that is the primary aim of a White House visit.
A long meeting with a super power is not always a good thing in international relations, Ardern's lengthy chat with Biden on a stinking hot and sunny Washington DC day certainly was.
That meeting was sandwiched amongst a White House visit by Korean pop band BTS and a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell.
It had been a fraught road for Ardern to get to the White House – her Covid-19 pushed the meeting back, and then three key people in her delegation got Covid-19 just days before that meeting. But nothing was stopping her by then – and it paid off.
Ardern's 90 minutes was almost twice as long as expected. Afterward, Biden gave her a tour of the famous Rose Garden – resplendent in bloom at this time of year.
It could not really have gone better. Ardern's only spoken regret was deciding to wear a wool jacket on a 34C day in Washington DC.
Ardern emerged to talk to the wilting media contingent, who had been waiting crunched into a sliver of shade in a hedge outside, to say she regretted her choice of jacket but had been heartened by the meeting. The words were equally warm from the other side.
PM Jacinda Ardern speaks to reporters outside the West Wing in DC's 34C heat. Photo / AP
New Zealand was described as "a very close and very important US partner". Biden sang Ardern's praises on leadership on climate change and the Christchurch Call.
The two looked comfortable together – a political alignment on issues other than trade no doubt helped.
Biden was less than enthusiastic to talk about the number one item on Ardern's wishlist: the CPTPP trade pact. But Ardern already knew that so simply said her piece and moved on.
And Biden and Ardern got in a little bonded moment when talking about relatives who had fought in the Pacific in the war.
The official told the US media that the conversation was "warm, very direct, and there was a great understanding between the two of them, as you would expect".
That great understanding has not always been something that you would expect when it comes to the US President and the New Zealand PM – it certainly wasn't when that President was Donald Trump.
Ardern had said before the meeting that it was not necessarily about the "announceables" - jargon for announcements of actual decisions or wins.
But it was nonetheless critical to get New Zealand back in the frame with the US as it builds up its Indo-Pacific strategy.
Biden had met with other major Indo-Pacific leaders and New Zealand was at risk of being left out. New Zealand dances a more nuanced dance on China than Australia does – but the statement emerging from the meeting was critical of China, and further pegs Ardern into the US camp she obliquely refers to when talking about relations with "like minded countries".
The Oval Office: President Joe Biden meets with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in the Oval Office. Photo / AP Evan Vucci)
It was predominantly a chance to reset the relationship after the Trump years – and that was exactly what Ardern aimed to do.
The long meeting was promising in that regard – and personal relationships always help.
It did deliver hope of concrete announcements : there was a nudge on trade with the announcement that annual trade-related talks would resume and an agreement to work together on space and in research and technology. Biden was also enthusiastic about the Christchurch Call, which Ardern will hope translates into more urgency in further work with social media companies.
There was also Biden's commitment the US would boost its relations with Pacific countries - including extra resources.
As for her first visit to the White House, Ardern – a political nerd at heart – could not exactly run around taking selfies as keepsakes but almost certainly wanted to. As those who went before her did, she will have noticed the Oval Office is indeed oval, but also smaller than it seems - as is Biden's desk.
She did, however, get to keep the pen she signed the guest book with – and was taking it home as a present for her father.
And when the winter comes again, Commander and Major will be set.
