Nigel Farage today denied putting Donald Trump up to slating the Brexit deal today – but admitted he could have inspired the President’s outburst.
Mr Trump added to Theresa May’s woes last night with an extraordinary attack on the package she has negotiated with Brussels.
He jibed that the deal was ‘great for the EU’ – and warned it would hit trade with the US.
The intervention – which was pounced on by Tory Eurosceptics – immediately sparked speculation that Mr Trump might have been listening to Mr Farage, whom he once backed as a candidate for US ambassador.
Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage appeared on Fox News, known to be Mr Trump’s favourite news channel, condemning the Brexit deal on Sunday and Monday
Mrs May appeared to be enjoying herself despite the Brexit woes at the Royal Welsh Fair in Powys today
The former Ukip leader appeared on Fox News, known to be Mr Trump’s favourite news channel, condemning the Brexit deal on Sunday and yesterday.
He branded the deal the ‘worst in history’ which would hamper trade with the US, and suggested it was a good package for Brussels – seemingly foreshadowing the president’s remarks.
Asked whether his appearance might have influenced Mr Trump he told MailOnline: ‘Who knows?’
He joked: ‘Nothing to do with me guv.’
Mr Farage said Mr Trump’s comments on the deal were ‘just a statement of fact, and it would be at least six years after Brexit before there was any chance of a Transatlantic trade pact being sealed.
‘It’s a mistake to think just the States will be upset about this.’
Amid the fallout from Mr Trump’s incendiary remarks today, Downing Street said there were ‘no plans’ to hold talks with him at the G20 summit this week.
Asked if Mrs May would try to explain the situation to Mr Trump at the gathering in Argentina, the PM’s spokesman said she would hold bilateral talks with other leaders, but had ‘none planned’ with the US commander-in-chief.
‘It is not something that we have requested,’ the spokesman said. The Prime Minister’s diary is agreed in advance and she is meeting with a number of world leaders to discuss issues like trade and security.
‘We have met with the president on a number of occasions in recent months and the bilaterals that are agreed for the G20 are done so in advance, and they don’t include the US president.’
Senior Tories and Eurosceptics have seized on the extraordinary barbs from the White House with glee – saying it could not be ‘brushed off’ and Mrs May must reopen negotiations with Brussels. Jacob Rees-Mogg said Mr Trump was stating an ‘obvious’ fact.
President Trump told reporters outside the White House last night that the deal ‘looks great for the EU’ as he warned about the impact it could have on UK-US trade