Donald Trump sparked a Brexit storm before he even reached the UK today as he said Theresa May’s Chequers deal might not be ‘what people voted for’.
The US president took an axe to diplomatic niceties as he delivered a series of extraordinary jibes in a press conference at the NATO summit in Brussels.
Just hours before he is due to arrive in the UK, Mr Trump highlighted Mrs May’s political woes, saying Britain was a ‘hot spot’.
And he made clear that he did not approve of the softer stance the PM has been advocating despite fury from many Tory MPs.
‘Brexit is Brexit, the people voted to break it up so I would imagine that is what they’ll do, but they might take a different route, I’m not sure that’s what people voted for,’ Mr Trump said.
The US president made a series of incendiary comments as he held a press conference at the NATo summit in Brussels
Theresa May (pictured at the NATO summit in Brussels today) has made clear she welcomes the ‘engagement’ between the US president and the Russian president on Monday
He shrugged off the prospect of protests on the streets, saying there were ‘always protests’ – and insisted that British people liked him because he was tough on immigration.
For good measure. Mr Trump also managed to congratulate a Croatian journalist on the victory of his national team against England in the World Cup.
Downing Street has been fearing that US President could publicly urge the PM to abandon her Chequers Brexit plans, which sparked the shock resignations of Boris Johnson and David Davis this week.
The PM is battling for her political career as mutinous Eurosceptic Tories have launch coordinated resignations and are mobilising to kill off her Brexit plans.
Mr Trump said the UK was a ‘hot spot’ with ‘lots of resignations’.
‘Brexit is – I have been reading about Brexit a lot over the last few days and it seems to be turning a little bit differently where they are getting at least partially involved back with the European Union,’ he said.
‘I have no message it is not for me to say…’
He added: ‘I’d like to see them be able to work it out so it can go quickly – whatever they work out.
‘I would say Brexit is Brexit. When you use the term hard Brexit I assume that’s what you mean.
‘A lot of people voted to break it up so I would imagine that’s what they would do but maybe they are taking a little bit of a different route. I don’t know if that’s what they voted for.
The US President (pictured with the PM at the NATO summit in Brussels yesterday) could publicly urge the PM to abandon her Chequers Brexit plans, which sparked the shock resignations of Boris Johnson and David Davis
Mr Trump let loose at Mrs May’s policy as he claimed victory over demands for NATO allies to invest more money in defence
Just hours before he is due to arrive in the UK, Mr Trump highlighted Mrs May’s political woes, saying Britain was a ‘hot spot’
‘I just want the people to be happy…..I am sure there will be protests because there are always protests.’
Speaking about the prospect of demonstrations in the UK over his visit, Mr Trump told reporters: ‘They like me a lot in the UK. I think they agree with me on immigration.’
He added: ‘I think that’s why Brexit happened.’
Sources close to the President say he believes hopes for a lucrative and speedy transatlantic trade deal would be impossible if the UK keeps close ties with Brussels.
One ally told The Daily Telegraph: ‘[He] is going to express disappointment that the British government is not going to be in a position to negotiate a trade deal with the United States.’
Mr Trump is jetting into the UK later today for his highly controversial visit – which i expected to be marred by mass protests in London tomorrow.
The President will only make a flying visit to the capital – and is being whisked away to Blenheim Palace – Winston Churchill’s ancestral home in Oxfordshire – for a banquet tonight.
The PM is trying to woo the President with dinner of Scottish salmon, English Hereford beef filet and vegetables, and strawberries and clotted cream ice cream.
He will hold talks with Mrs May at her country retreat at Chequers rather than at No10 in a bid the President away from the tens of thousands of protesters expected to descend on the capital.
Mr Trump, flanked by National Security Advisor John Bolton, took an axe to diplomatic niceties by making his views clear about Mrs May’s policies
Downing Street has been fearing that US President (pictured today) could publicly urge the PM to abandon her Chequers Brexit plans
Theresa May was also at the NATO summit today and is returning to host Mr Trump in the UK
At Chequers the two leaders will dine on Dover sole, Chiltern lamb and vegetables, and lemon meringue pie.
But the trip comes at a tricky time for the two leaders, whose relationship has been rocky.
They are both arriving in the UK following a stormy NATO summit in Brussels where Mr Trump tore into America’s allies for not spending enough money on defence.
May warns Trump not to split NATO when he meets Putin
Mr Trump (pictured with Mrs May in Brussels yesterday) is due to arrive in the UK at lunchtime
Theresa May has delivered a stark warning to Donald Trump not to split NATO by appeasing Vladimir Putin when they meet in Helsinki next week.
The Prime Minister made clear she welcomes the ‘engagement’ between the US president and the Russian president on Monday.
But she insisted there must be ‘unity and strength’ in the military alliance and he must not skirt issues like the Salisbury nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and daughter Yulia.
The comments came as Mrs May struck a delicate balance at the NATO summit in Brussels ahead of a potentially turbulent visit by Mr Trump to the UK today.
In remarks released by No10, she said that when it came to dealing with Russia, it was essential to do so from a position of strength underpinned by alliance unity.
‘As we engage Russia we must do so from a position of unity and strength, holding out hope for a better future, but also clear and unwavering on where Russia needs to change its behaviour for this to become a reality,’ she said.
And he sparked a major diplomatic row by accusing Germany of being a ‘captive of Russia’ because the country imports nearly all its gas from Moscow.
While Mr Trump sparked anger in the UK earlier this week when he took a swipe at the ‘turmoil’ in British politics.
He also heaped praise on his ‘friend’ Mr Johnson – who had quit the Cabinet and plunged Mrs May’s premiership into turmoil just a day before.
And he said that his panned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday may be ‘easier’ than his rip to the UK.
No10 immdiately tried to play down the comments – insiting they had taken them as ‘humourous’.
But tensions between the two leaders over Russia and NATO threaten to cast a shadow over the trip.
The PM delivered a stark warning to Mr Trump not to split NATO by appeasing Mr Putin when they meet in Helsinki next week.
The Prime Minister made clear she welcomes the ‘engagement’ between the US president and the Russian president on Monday.
But she insisted there must be ‘unity and strength’ in the military alliance and he must not skirt issues like the Salisbury nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and daughter Yulia.
In remarks released by No10, she said that when it came to dealing with Russia, it was essential to do so from a position of strength underpinned by alliance unity.
‘As we engage Russia we must do so from a position of unity and strength, holding out hope for a better future, but also clear and unwavering on where Russia needs to change its behaviour for this to become a reality,’ she said.
In London, Scotland Yard is braced for some of the biggest protests in living memory as tens of thousands of demonstrators are expected to pour into London to vent their fury at the President.
A giant baloon depicting Mr Trump as a baby in a nappy will be flown over the capital as part of the protest.
And activists from trade unions and the Labour grassroots group Momentum are expected to join the throng.
Demonstrators have vowed to try to keep Mr Trump up all night by gathering near the large US ambassadorial residence in Regents Park where he will stay tonight, with drums, pots and pans which they will bang.
The police operation for his trip is expected to cost at least £8 million.
The PM’s Government has been plunged into turmoil by the shock resignations of David Davis (pictured left) as Brexit Secretary and Boris Johnson (pictured right) as Foreign Secrtary
1,000 staff, helicopters, planes and his bomb-proof ‘Beast’: The incredible entourage following Donald Trump to Britain
Two Boeing C17 Globemastet US Air Force planes delivered part of the Presidential Motorcade at Prestwick Airport, South Ayrshire, ahead of the visit of US President Donald Trump
Donald Trump will be accompanied by as many as 1,000 staff, a motorcade and multiple helicopters during his UK trip.
Here is what the presidential entourage is made up of:
– Air Force One
The US leader will emerge from Air Force One – one of two specially modified Boeing 747-200s.
The luxurious aircraft, carrying the tail codes 28000 and 29000, are highly customised and can act as a mobile command centre in the event of an attack on the United States.
The words “United States of America”, the Seal of the President of the United States and the American flag are all visible on the outside of the plane, making it instantly recognisable.
The aircraft has 4,000 square feet of floor space, including a Presidential suite with a large office and conference room, a medical suite that can be used as an operating room and two food preparation galleys that can feed 100 people at a time.
Overseas trips see additional staff and security flown over on an Air Force C-32, which is a modified Boeing 757.
– The Beast
The presidential motorcade, which includes two identical limousines, nicknamed The Beast, and other security and communications vehicles, is brought across by Air Force transport aircraft.
The Beast is a seven-seat black armoured limousine which reportedly costs two million US dollars (£1.5 million) and is designed to give Mr Trump the ultimate protection.
It can be turned into a sealed panic room with oxygen tanks, night-vision camera and reinforced steel plating said to be able to resist bullets, chemical attacks and bombs.
The Cadillac has Kevlar-reinforced tyres and steel rims that can keep the vehicle moving even if the tyres have been destroyed.
Bottles of the president’s blood type are carried on board in case of a medical emergency, and a satellite phone enables communication to be maintained from anywhere in the world.
As well as being able to defend the president, the car also features a host of attacking capabilities, such as a pump-action shotgun and a tear gas cannon.
Several black Secret Service 4x4s took to the road with a police escort as part of the huge security operation
– Marine One
A number of presidential helicopters, either VH-3D Sea Kings or VH-60N White Hawks – which are known as Marine One when the president is on board – are also brought on overseas trips.
The Marine One helicopter is fitted with communications equipment, anti-missile defences and hardened hulls.
Staff and security personnel are ferried around in MV-22 Ospreys and CH-46s.
– Staff
Staff typically involved in an overseas trip include Secret Service post-standers, military communications specialists and White House aides.
The president has at his side at all times a White House doctor and one of five rotating military aides who carry the nuclear “football” – equipped with communication tools and a book with prepared war plans.
There is always a group of 13 members of the press on such visits, including three wire reporters, two print reporters, four photographers, a three-person television crew, and a radio reporter.