Editorial: PM Jacinda Ardern's trials and triumphs on US trip

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern smiles as she delivers the keynote address at Harvard's 371st Commencement. Photo / Mary Schwalm, AP

EDITORIAL:

When it was confirmed Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had tested positive for Covid on May 14, it seemed her Stateside trip might be called off.

As it turned out, the trade mission was curtailed for a few days and there have been disappointments as a result.

The first part of the programme in Los Angeles, to press our case as a premium movie-making location, had to be cut. She was due to fly out when US President Joe Biden announced an economic alliance of Indo-Pacific nations, including New Zealand, to counter China's influence in the region.

While recovering from a "moderate" bout of the virus she is now making whistlestop visits to New York, Washington DC, Boston, San Francisco and Seattle.

Most significantly, Ardern has secured the sought-after meeting with the US President. Ardern has confirmed the meeting with Biden will take place on Tuesday at the White House and she will also meet with Vice President Kamala Harris.

She beguiled once again on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, a TV show with an average audience of 3.6 million viewers.

However, the address at the 371st Harvard Commencement ceremony in Boston will be a milestone in her career.

At the eight-minute mark, she received a standing ovation when she told the audience New Zealand had banned "military-style, semi-automatics and assault rifles" and another when she mentioned "the de-criminalisation of abortion".

These are touchstone issues for young America right now, as the Supreme Court considers overturning the right to an abortion, and after the slaying of 19 primary school-aged children and two teachers in Texas last Tuesday.

Ardern delighted and challenged the 30,000 in attendance at the Harvard ceremony, including some of America's brightest and most promising young people. For them, this will be their lasting impression of New Zealand, with its amusing and self-effacing female leader determinedly calling to resolve hatred with kindness.

Like her policies or not, Ardern represents New Zealand well on the world stage.

She has said of the disruptions to the trip, "in these times, you roll with the Covid curveballs that you're thrown".

At Harvard, she knocked one out of the park.