With friends like Trump, May doesn’t need enemies

AS BRITAIN seeks to forge new alliances ahead of its departure from the European Union – in some way, shape or form – no doubt it will look to its traditional allies. The Commonwealth countries, scattered across the globe, include nations such as India, which now have fast-growing economies and are seeking access to new markets.

And Britain will also look to the ‘Special Relationship’ – the term often used to describe the political, diplomatic, cultural, economic, military, and historical relations between the United Kingdom and the United States.

The term came into popular usage after being used in a 1946 speech by Winston Churchill as the two nations had been close allies during many conflicts.

In the last century, they have aligned themselves in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, the Gulf War and the so-called War on Terror.

However, those traditional alliances are now coming under strain under the presidency of Donald Trump. He is not only undermining Nato this week but proved of little assistance to British Prime Minister Theresa May, one of the few Western leaders showing any tolerance of his erratic behaviour, with his assessment of Brexit.

Trump waded into the debate on May’s approach to the Brexit negotiations, describing her proposals as a “different route” and saying he didn’t know “if that’s what they voted for”. With friends like these, May doesn’t need enemies.