Theresa May insisted the Special Relationship is as ‘strong as ever’ today – despite claims Donald Trump keeps interrupting her on the phone and his state visit invite has turned into a ‘nightmare’.
The Prime Minister said she would be focusing on the ‘shared challenges’ for the two countries when she holds talks with him at the World Economic Forum in Davos later.
But the encounter – their first face-to-face meeting since September – will be closely scrutinised for signs of friction, after insiders suggested relations have soured.
The leaders have clashed publicly over a series of issues, including Mr Trump’s controversial re-tweeting of a British Far Right group and his criticism of the Iran nuclear deal.
In interviews at the summit in the Swiss ski resort this morning, Mrs May tried to shrug off the reports of tensions.
‘The Special Relationship between America and the UK is as strong as it ever has been, she said.
The Prime Minister (pictured giving an interview today) said she would be focusing on the ‘shared challenges’ for the two countries when she holds talks with Mr Trump at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos later
In happier times: The relationship between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Theresa May has soured since their first meeting in January 2017 (pictured), according to aides
A stark picture of the souring links between Mr Trump and Mrs May has been painted by insiders.
Citing senior current and former government officials, Bloomberg News claimed that in formal phone calls between the two leaders, Mrs May now ‘finds it impossible to make headway and get her points across’.
‘Trump totally dominates the discussion, leaving the prime minister with five or 10 seconds to speak before he interrupts and launches into another monologue,’ an insider told Bloomberg.
In one phone conversation last year, Mr Trump reportedly complained to her about the criticism he had been getting in the British press.
Amid threats that he would face street protests if he came to the UK, he told her ‘he would not be coming to the UK until she could promise him a warm welcome’.
In one phone conversation last year, Mr Trump reportedly complained to her about the criticism he had been getting in the British press
Awkward: The two world leaders are due to meet tomorrow in Davos at the World Economic Forum
According to the report, Mrs May’s advisors listened in to the call from a secure bunker underneath Number 10 ‘in astonishment at Trump’s demand’.
Mrs May reportedly told the president that ‘such treatment was simply the way the British press operate, and there wasn’t much she could do’.
Their relationship isn’t helped by the fact that they are completely opposite personalities, say officials.
Katie Perrior, Mrs May’s communications director until last June’s general election, said senior British civil servants in both the UK and US wanted Mrs May to keep her distance from the volatile Mr Trump until he had been in office longer and warned against ‘rushing’ into offering him a state visit.
She said it was clear to her and others at the time that such an invitation was ‘over the top and unnecessary’.
However, Number 10 co-chiefs of staff Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill were anxious to strengthen relations with the US and achieve a post-Brexit trade deal.
Over lunch, Mr Trump is understood to have told the PM he believed there were parts of London that Islamic extremists had effectively made ‘no-go areas’ (pictured above, Theresa May with Swiss Federal President Alain Berset in Davos last night)
New friends: Mr Trump is expected formally to invite French leader Emmanuel Macron on a US state visit, rubbing salt into the wound for Britain. Pictured, attending the traditional Bastille day military parade on the Champs-Elysees on July 2017
Jim Messina, the White House deputy chief of staff under Barack Obama, described Mr Trump’s invitation to Mr Macron as ‘unprecedented’. The pair are pictured together at the UN in September
It was argued that inviting Mr Trump and his wife to stay at Buckingham Palace and throwing a state banquet for him would ‘appeal to Trump’s vanity’.
The two chiefs-of-staff made a ‘secret trip’ to the US and made arrangements for Mrs May to come to Washington.
Mr Trump was delighted, comparing their relationship to the bond between Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan as he reportedly told aides: ‘She’ll be my Maggie.’
Over lunch in the White House, he told Mrs May that Brexit would be a ‘brilliant thing’ and ‘the making of us’, said her former strategy director Chris Wilkins.
Instead, their relationship has rapidly cooled to the point that Mr Trump is ready to issue his first state visit invitation as president to Mr Macron.
Although the Queen no longer takes long haul flights and would not visit the US even if invited, Jim Messina, the White House deputy chief of staff under Barack Obama, described Mr Trump’s invitation to Mr Macron as ‘unprecedented’.
He said: ’Tradition has been, when I was the president’s deputy chief of staff, that your first state visit is always the UK,’ he said.
‘He’s breaking with tradition but that’s probably not surprising with this president.’
Insiders say it was clear from their first meeting that the Trump-May relationship would be tricky.
Officials were reportedly mortified to learn that she had been photographed holding hands with Mr Trump as they left the White House.
Over lunch that day, Mr Trump told the PM he believed there were parts of London that Islamic extremists had effectively made ‘no-go areas’.
She spoke up to ‘correct him’, said Chris Wilkins, who was there.
‘It was an hour of the president holding court and the PM being very diplomatic and not many other people saying anything,’ he said.
Mrs May has since repeatedly clashed publicly with Mr Trump, over issues such as intelligence leaks, the Iran nuclear deal, the recent terror attack in Manchester, and Mr Trump’s controversial re-tweeting of a British Far Right anti-Muslim activist.
British officials believe Mr Trump is still angry with Downing Street.
As the Daily Mail was the first to reveal, he cancelled a trip to London next month to open the new US embassy.
Amid suspicions that he will never take up the state visit invitation, some in Mrs May’s team now regret their ‘nightmare’ decision to invite him, said Bloomberg.
Mr Trump is expected to use his time in Davos to confirm he is inviting French leader Emmanuel Macron on a state visit to the US, rubbing salt into the wound for Britain.
Punish social media giants who won’t clean up their act, PM tells investors: May to tell firms they play ‘vital role’ in forcing companies to clean up content
Theresa May, pictured, will acknowledge that the social media giants have made some progress since they were warned by world leaders they could face swingeing fines
Wealthy investors should pull the plug on social media firms that refuse to clean up their act, Theresa May will say today.
In a keynote speech in Davos, she will accuse internet giants of ‘standing by’ while their platforms are used to spread vile content. Mrs May will say investors can play a ‘vital role’ in using their financial muscle to pile pressure on firms like Google, Facebook and Twitter.
She will highlight a recent case where a group of US investors, including pension funds, demanded Facebook and Twitter release more information about the sexual harassment, fake news and hate speech published on their platforms.
Addressing investors at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, the PM will say: ‘Investors can make a big difference here by ensuring trust and safety issues are being properly considered. And I urge them to do so.’
Mrs May will acknowledge that the social media giants have made some progress since they were warned by world leaders they could face swingeing fines.
But she will add: ‘Technology companies still need to go further in stepping up to their responsibilities for dealing with harmful and illegal online activity.
‘These companies simply cannot stand by while their platforms are used to facilitate child abuse, modern slavery or the spreading of terrorist and extremist content.’
Government sources said the appeal was designed to put ‘additional pressure’ on tech giants. The threat of new laws remains if they fail to accelerate action.