Donald Trump and Theresa May have fended off a barrage of questions about the President’s possible state visit to the UK during an unexpected and awkward joint press conference at Davos.
The short affair featured Ms May stumbling over her words and Mr Trump repeating his phrases, ultimately ending with the pair giving an indirect response to questions about the highest honour that Britain can give a foreign leader.
“We’ll talk about it”, Mr Trump responded when asked about the state visit – a comment that Ms May seconded.
Ms May offered Mr Trump a state visit, which typically includes a banquet with the Queen, almost exactly a year ago during her visit to Washington - just a few days after the President was inaugurated.
The Prime Minister’s opponents criticised the move, and she was asked to reconsider her decision following some of Mr Trump’s controversial comments and actions.
The US leader cancelled a planned trip to London next month for the official opening of the new US embassy building. He claimed he did not agree with a decision to sell the US embassy headquarters – “perhaps the best located and finest embassy in London” for a small amount – “only to build a new one in an off location”.
The President had asserted earlier that “it’s a false rumour ” there is tension in the US-UK relationship.
“We’re on the same the wavelength in I think every respect,” he said. “The prime minister and myself have had a really great relationship, although some people don’t necessarily believe that, but I can tell you, I have a tremendous respect for the prime minister and the job she’s doing.”
“I think the feeling is mutual from the standpoint of liking each other a lot,” he added as Ms May nodded in response. “There was a little false rumour out there. I wanted to correct it.”
The relationship between the pair has appeared rather rocky, with Ms May publicly condemning Mr Trump’s retweeting of several anti-Muslim videos posted online by a “hateful” British far-right group.
Mr Trump tweeted back: “@Theresa_May, don’t focus on me, focus on the destructive Radical Islamic Terrorism that is taking place within the United Kingdom. We are doing just fine!”
- More about:
- Donald Trump
- Theresa May
Reuse content