May to tackle Trump on ‘unacceptable’ remarks

LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May yesterday vowed to confront US President Donald Trump about any “unacceptable” remarks when she meets him this week.

May said she plans to discuss a possible bilateral trade deal and global issues such as terrorism and the conflict in Syria during the meeting on Friday.

“Whenever there is something that I find unacceptable I won’t be afraid to say that to Donald Trump,” May told the BBC’s

Andrew Marr show. The White House confirmed on Saturday that May will become the first foreign leader to meet the US president following his inauguration.

“When I sit down, I think the biggest statement that will be made about the role of women is that I will be there as a female prime minister, directly talking to him about the interests we share,” she said.

May had already said “some of the comments that Donald Trump has made in relation to women are unacceptable, (and) some of those he himself has apologised for.”

She noted that Trump “had a very clear message about putting America first” in his inauguration speech.

“But if you think about it, any government, any leader – as we do here in the United Kingdom when we look at any issue – we ensure that we’re putting the UK’s interests and the interests of the British people first,” May said.

She will talk to Trump about “the issues that we share, about how we can build on the special relationship.

“It’s the special relationship that also enables us to say when we do find things unacceptable,” May said.