The Sun dropped an interview with President Donald Trump on Thursday night as he met with Prime Minister Theresa May for a black-tie dinner. In it, he criticized May’s Brexit strategy, claimed she did not listen to him, and that a trade deal between the two countries could be in danger.
May and Trump held a press conference Friday morning. Trump told May that whatever she wants to do with her Brexit plan is okay with America, but just make it possible for the UK to engage in trade with the United States.
Trump also called The Sun interview ‘fake news’ because they left out portions of his comments, all of which the White House has recorded.
May’s Brexit plan includes the UK sticking “to a common rulebook with Brussels on goods and agricultural produce in a bid to keep custom borders open with the EU.”
Trump said if this happens, “then their trade deal with the US will probably not be made.” That trade deal is something those who supported the Leave campaign wanted:
But the President said Mrs May’s plan “will definitely affect trade with the United States, unfortunately in a negative way”.He explained: “We have enough difficulty with the European Union.“We are cracking down right now on the European Union because they have not treated the United States fairly on trading.“No, if they do that I would say that that would probably end a major trade relationship with the United States.”
Trump also told The Sun that the deal she struck is not the same that appeared in the referendum that the people voted for in April 2016.
After the article came out, May released this statement:
“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.”
Yeah…I don’t think so. She lost her Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who Trump thinks would make a great prime minister.
The London Times published an article this morning about how Brexiteers are not happy with the concessions in the Brexit bill:
In what Brexiteers argue is a breach of red lines, the white paper said that disputes over trade should be “referred to the European Court of Justice for interpretation” in certain circumstances, and that businesses that provide services would be able to “move their talented people” across the Channel.Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader, told the Commons: “I voted to leave, not to half-leave.” Steve Baker, who quit as a Brexit minister on Monday, was offering on Twitter to sign copies of the white paper “over which I resigned”.Conservative MPs who support a hard Brexit told the government that they would vote against the third reading of the bill on Monday, presenting a huge problem for the prime minister. Jacob Rees-Mogg and the European Research Group of hard Brexiteers had indicated that they would launch only a symbolic rebellion against Mrs May on Monday. Yesterday it emerged that they plan to go further.
Trump and May held a short press conference before the two leaders headed off for a private conversation. Trump described his relationship with May as “very, very strong.”
The two leaders held another joint conference afterwards. A reporter asked Trump about The Sun interview and he said that the publication left out some of the things he said about the prime minister because he never criticized her personally. He only criticized her plan:
“I didn’t criticize the prime minister,” Trump said. “I have a lot of respect for the prime minister. And unfortunately, there was a story that was done, which was, you know, generally fine. But it didn’t put in what I said about the prime minister. And I said tremendous things.”Trump added that he had a recording of the interview and it would support his argument.”Fortunately, we tend to record stories now, so we have it for your enjoyment if you like it. But we record when we deal with reporters. It’s called fake news.”
He said that whatever she decides to do with the EU “is OK with us” as long as America and Britain can continue trade. From CNN:
“Once the Brexit process is concluded, and perhaps the UK has left the EU — I don’t know what they’re going to do, but whatever you do is OK with me. That’s your decision. Whatever you’re going to do is OK with us. Just make sure we can trade together. That’s all that matters.”
May responded:
Trump explained that just because he thinks Johnson will be a great prime minister doesn’t mean he wants anything to happen to May. He went on to elaborate that the two have a great relationship and have grown closer during his short visit.
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