Theresa May insisted there can be a trade deal with the US as she scrambled to show the Special Relationship is not in meltdown today.
The US president and PM praised their ‘very strong’ ties as they held a press conference at Chequers – hours after he warned that her soft Brexit plan would ‘kill’ a transatlantic trade deal and heaping praise on arch-rival Boris Johnson.
Tearing up diplomatic niceties to rampage unapologetically into domestic politics overnight, Mr Trump said Mrs May had ignored his advice to face down the EU in negotiations and condemned slack controls on immigration.
But Mrs May said today that ‘no two countries do more’ together to keep their people safe and the partnership would ‘grow’. She said they had agreed to pursue an ‘ambitious’ trade deal after the UK leaves the EU.
Mr Trump also adopted a softer tone – saying the two leaders had ‘probably never developed a better relationship’.
The bombshell intervention has left ministers struggling to defuse the situation with Downing Street saying the PM was intending to ‘bring him up to speed’ with her thinking on Brexit over lunch at the Buckinghamshire residence.
No10 has been fearing Mr Trump will double down on his criticism in what could be a devastating blow as she struggles to cling on to power amid a huge revolt by Tory Eurosceptics.
Mrs May said that ‘no two countries do more’ together to keep their people safe as she held a press conference with Donald Trump at Chequers today
Donald Trump hailed the Special Relationship alongside Theresa May today despite his extraordinary outburst on Brexit
Arriving at the country residence with Mrs May today, Mr Trump appeared to adopt a softer tone – saying the two leaders had ‘probably never developed a better relationship’
Mrs May is braced for a potentially embarrassing press conference with Mr Trump after their talks at Chequers today
Mr Trump and Mrs May were flanked by their respective teams in the grand country residence in Buckinghamshire today
Protests against Mr Trump have been taking place in central London today, with a ‘Baby Trump’ blimp flying in Parliament Square (pictured)
Mr Trump and Mrs May spent the morning together watching military manoeuvres and meeting the SAS at Sandhurst Royal Military Academy before heading to Chequers by helicopter on the second day of his four-day trip.
The pair shook hands for the cameras as they arrived on the steps of the stately home.
Mr Trump said: ‘The relationship is very, very strong, we really have a very good relationship.’
‘The Prime Minister and I worked very hard together at NATO. They were an incredible few days. It has never been more united. We are two of the five who are fully paid up but others are coming along rapidly.
‘It was a very productive few days and we arrived here last night’
He rolled his eyes when journalists asked about his previous jibes.
Mrs May said: ‘The United States is our longest standing and biggest defence partner. The president did a very good job of persuading others to spend up to their commitment.
‘Others now understand the importance of spending their commitment to NATO.’
She added: ‘We have got a lot to discuss. We are going to be discussing the special relationship, which is great, between the UK and US.
‘We are going to be discussing the real opportunities we have got to have this trade deal coming up when we leave the European Union.’
Earlier, Foreign Office minister Alan Duncan was sent out to try to put a brave face on the embarrassment, stretching credibility by insisting the government did not regard Mr Trump’s behaviour as ‘rude’.
‘Donald Trump is in many ways a controversialist, that’s his style, that’s the colour he brings to the world stage,’ he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Chancellor Philip Hammond, in Brussels for meetings, suggested the president had not yet studied the government’s Brexit plans properly.
But many MPs made no effort to hide their outrage – with universities minister Sam Gyimah tweeting: ‘Where are your manners, Mr President?’
Tory backbencher Sarah Wollaston raged that Mr Trump was ‘determined to insult’ Mrs May. In a sign of the growing chaos in UK politics, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry also leapt to Mrs May’s defence, branding him ‘extraordinarily rude’.
‘She is his host. What did his mother teach him?’ Mrs Thornberry said.
Earlier, Mr Trump and Mrs May watched military manoeuvres and met the SAS at Sandhurst Royal Military Academy (pictured)
First Lady Melania is getting a tour of London with Philip May today starting at the Royal Hospital Chelsea where she will meet the veteran pensioners and local children
Mr Trump’s outburst emerged last night just as Mrs May feted him at a lavish business dinner at Blenheim Palace – the family home of his hero Winston Churchill in Oxfordshire.
As the leaders posed for the cameras, even holding hands at one point, it was revealed that Mr Trump had launched a full-scale attack on Mrs May’s leadership in an interview with The Sun before arriving in Britain.
Giving a withering assessment of her Brexit plan to align with EU rules to ease trade and keep a soft Irish border, he said: ‘If they do a deal like that, we would be dealing with the European Union instead of dealing with the UK, so it will probably kill the deal. I actually told Theresa May how to do it, but she didn’t listen to me’.
Sources close to the president earlier warned that a lucrative transatlantic trade deal would be impossible if the UK keeps close ties with Brussels – effectively meaning Britain must choose between the US and EU.
In an interview with the British newspaper, Mr Trump said he thought Boris Johnson would make a ‘great prime minister’ and that he was ‘saddened’ the former foreign secretary was out of the government.
The president also renewed his war of words with Sadiq Khan, saying the London mayor has ‘done a very bad job on terrorism’.
He said he thought that allowing ‘millions and millions’ of people into Europe was ‘very sad’ and pointed to crime being ‘brought in’ to London, criticising the Labour mayor for failing to deal with it.
Europe, he added, is ‘losing its culture’ because of mass migration and warned it will never be the same again unless leaders act quickly.
‘Look around,’ he said. ‘You go through certain areas that didn’t exist ten or 15 years ago.’ He added: ‘Allowing the immigration to take place in Europe is a shame.’
The White House tried to go on cleanup duty after the explosive interview.
‘The President likes and respects Prime Minister May very much,’ White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.
Protesters had gathered near the Prime Minister’s country residence, Chequers, ahead of the meeting with Mr Trump today
A massive ring of steel has been thrown around the PM’s Chequers residence ahead of the US President’s visit today
Marines salute their Commander-in-Chief as he gets on to Marine One and heads off to meet the PM
Mr Trump has already had a bumpy start to his four-day trip with some critics saying he should not intervene in UK business
Security was extremely tight for the visit by the First Lady and Mr May to the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, London today
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were feted at Blenheim Palace last night by Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip May
Mr Trump said he used to love the city, but now feels little reason to go there because of the animosity directed towards him.
But the president said he loves the UK and believes the British people ‘want the same thing I want’.
Mrs May had been trying to use the lavish welcome dinner for Mr Trump at Blenheim Palace to press her case for an ambitious new trade deal with the US after Brexit.
The president arrived in Marine One in a tuxedo alongside First Lady Melania, wearing a floor-length, pleated buttercup yellow gown.
Awkwardly grabbing Theresa May’s hand – in a replay of their White House meeting last year – Trump was treated to a fanfare welcome by the Welsh, Irish and Scots Guards’ bands.
The president was given a performance of Amazing Grace featuring a bagpipe solo during his red-carpet reception as well as Liberty Fanfare and the National Emblem.
Critics of the Prime Minister’s proposals for future relations with the EU claim that her willingness to align with Brussels rules on agricultural produce will block a US deal.
That is because Washington is certain to insist on the inclusion of GM crops and hormone-enhanced beef, which are banned in Europe.
But addressing the US president in front of an audience of business leaders at Winston Churchill’s birthplace, Mrs May insisted that Brexit provides an opportunity for an ‘unprecedented’ agreement to boost jobs and growth.
Noting that more than one million Americans already work for British-owned firms, she told Mr Trump: ‘As we prepare to leave the European Union, we have an unprecedented opportunity to do more.
Donald Trump waves to crowds as he leaves the London home of US Ambassador Woody Johnson as he spends a likely uncomfortable day with Theresa May after he blasted her over Brexit
A member of security cleans the limousine of U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at Blenheim Palace last night
‘It’s an opportunity to reach a free trade agreement that creates jobs and growth here in the UK and right across the United States.
‘It’s also an opportunity to tear down the bureaucratic barriers that frustrate business leaders on both sides of the Atlantic.
‘And it’s an opportunity to shape the future of the world through co-operation in advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence.’
She also highlighted the importance of trans-Atlantic business links to a president who has sometimes seemed more interested in forging new links with former adversaries around the world than nurturing long-standing partnerships.
Britain and the US are the largest investors in each other’s economies, with over a trillion dollars of investments between them, said Mrs May.
And she told the president: ‘The strength and breadth of Britain’s contribution to the US economy cannot be understated.
‘The UK is the largest investor in the US, providing nearly a fifth of all foreign investment in your country.
‘We invest 30 per cent more than our nearest rival. More than 20 times what China invests. And more than France and Germany combined.
‘That all means a great deal more than simply numbers in bank accounts.
‘It means jobs, opportunities and wealth for hardworking people right across America.’
British firms represented at the Blenheim banquet alone employ more than 250,000 people in the US, she said.
Mr Trump earlier 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.
Mrs May dismissed the criticism as she departed the summit this afternoon, telling journalists: ‘We have come to an agreement at the proposal we’re putting to the European Union which absolutely delivers on the Brexit people voted for.
‘They voted for us to take back control of our money, our law and our borders and that’s exactly what we will do’.
Mr Trump also said the UK was a ‘pretty hot spot right now’ 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.
‘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.’
Sadiq Khan hits back at Trump’s jibe that he has done ‘a very bad job’ protecting London from terrorism saying the US president has NOT criticised mayors of other cities targeted by extremists
Sadiq Khan hit back at Donald Trump today after the US president accused him of doing a ‘very bad job’ on terrorism and crime.
The London Mayor questioned why he was being ‘singled out’ after Mr Trump renewed their feud in bombshell comments during his UK visit.
The president said Mr Khan was failing to tackle extremism and crime in the city – blaming high levels of immigration.
But Mr Khan said other major cities had suffered terror attacks, and asked why Mr Trump was ‘making it about me’.
‘He criticised the mayor of London – me personally – for the terror attacks we had last year. But the evil of terrorism has been grappled with in Manchester, Berlin, Paris, Nice,’ he told ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
‘Why has he singled me out?’
Mr Trump has clashed with the Labour mayor repeatedly in the past, including over his administration’s visa policy and most recently over Khan’s decision to allow a gigantic Trump blimp to fly over London.
Sadiq Khan hit back at Donald Trump today after the US president accused him of doing a ‘very bad job’ on terrorism and crime
Speaking on the eve of his visit to Britain yesterday, the president (left with Melania in London) said Khan (right) was doing a ‘terrible job’ in the capital by allowing migrants to flock to the city
Protesters gathered at the security fence watch as US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump leave in Marine One from the US ambassador’s residence, Winfield House
Speaking to The Sun, Trump said: ‘Take a look at the terrorism that is taking place. Look at what is going on in London. I think he has done a very bad job on terrorism.’
He added: ‘I think he has done a bad job on crime, if you look, all of the horrible things going on there, with all of the crime that is being brought in.’
London was devastated by four terror attacks last year – at Westminster, London Bridge, Parsons Green and Finsbury Park.
Trump also accused Mr Khan, who is muslim, of failing to show respect for the world’s wealthiest and most powerful nation.
Trump also accused Khan of failing to show respect for the world’s wealthiest and most powerful nation. Pictured: Trump being greeted at Blenheim Palace yesterday
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are welcomed at Blenheim Palace by Britain Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip May
‘I think he has not been hospitable to a government that is very important,’ he said. ‘Now he might not like the current president, but I represent the United States.
‘I also represent a lot of people in Europe because a lot of people from Europe are in the United States.’
A source close to Khan told The Sun that it is the responsibility of the Home Office to determine London’s migration policy, as well as that of the UK as a whole.
Mr Khan said the Prime Minister should not be afraid to challenge the Republican property mogul, who also provoked anger by criticising her Brexit plans and praising her rival, Boris Johnson, as having the ability to be a ‘great prime minister’.
‘I’m quite clear that both the UK and the US have a special relationship that means we stand shoulder to shoulder at times of adversity,’ the Labour mayor said.
Tottenham MP Mr Lammy said the president knows full well that Mr Khan is not responsible for the attacks
‘But at times where we think the other side is not meeting the high standards we expect of each other we shouldn’t be afraid of calling them out – that’s like having a best mate.’
He added: ‘I think our Prime Minister should have the confidence to speak to the US President on equal terms and it’s for President Trump to say what he wants about me; I’m not going to rise to President Trump’s views.’
Tottenham MP Mr Lammy said the president knows full well that Mr Khan is not responsible for the attacks.
‘I will call it like it is. The real reason Trump blames my friend @SadiqKhan for the terror attacks last year is simple,’ he tweeted.
‘He hates that London chose a Muslim mayor. The President is racist. He does not deserve to meet our Queen today #StopTrump.’