... as he threatens to cut foreign aid over Jerusalem UN vote

DONALD Trump yesterday threatened to cut aid to countries that oppose his controversial move to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

He warned there could be expensive repercussions for any government that votes in favour a United Nations resolution denouncing his decision.

The threat came after the US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, told other representatives that she will be ‘taking names’ of those who back today’s General Assembly move.

Mr Trump said: ‘They take hundreds of millions and even billions of dollars, and then they vote against us. Let them vote against us. We’ll save a lot. We don’t care.’

The warning appears chiefly aimed at poorer countries in Africa and Asia. Egypt, a major recipient of US aid, drafted a UN Security Council resolution on Monday criticising the US Jerusalem decision.

But Mr Trump’s decision is opposed by many of the US’s closest allies, including Britain and France, who are among 14 members of the council backing the resolution.

Miss Haley said this was an ‘insult’ that ‘won’t be forgotten’, adding: ‘So, when we make a decision about where to locate our embassy, we don’t expect those we’ve helped to target us.’

This has raised fears that Theresa May’s hopes of securing a quick postBrexit trade deal with the US might be under threat if she does not support Mr Trump.