Diary of an idiot abroad
Trump’s visit certainly proved anything but dull. Our Westminster Editor Torcuil Crichton looks backs on the ups, downs and sideways aspects of the trip
slamming Nato allies, Trump told a press conference European nations had signed up to spend more on defence.
“They all thanked me,” he said. He particularly had it in for Angela Merkel’s Germany, tweeting: “On top of it all, Germany just started paying Russia, the country they want protection from, billions of dollars for their energy needs coming out of a new pipeline from Russia. Not acceptable!
“All Nato Nations must meet their two per cent commitment, and that must ultimately go to four per cent!”
Trump arrived in the UK and was whisked to dinner at Blenheim Palace.
Theresa May’s remarks at the dinner were a blatant pitch for a US-UK trade deal, signalling that workers’ rights could be sacrificed for it.
Trump’s response was that a soft Brexit would kill the chances of a deal with the US.
Taking advice from Brexiteer and media mogul Rupert Murdoch, Trump granted an interview to the Murdochowned Sun newspaper. The president said Boris Johnson would make a great PM. FRIDAY
Having trashed the Chequers deal, Trump criticised May for not listening to his Brexit advice. He later dismissed it all as “fake news”.
In a remarkable joint press conference at Chequers, the US president rowed back on his criticisms, praising the PM as a tough negotiator.
It looked as if May had talked him down and he said a trade deal was possible.
At the press conference, Trump threw a lifeline to May, claiming it would be wrong to walk away from Brexit talks and said the UK-US relationship was at “the highest level of special”.
Meeting the Queen for tea, Trump showed bad manners by marching ahead of her.
The meeting lasted only 30 minutes while in London, Glasgow and other UK cities, thousands took to the streets to protest against the visit.
Nicola Sturgeon laughed off reports Trump loathes her. According to an account of how Downing Street deals with the president on the Huffington Post news site, the president often attacks the First Minister in calls to No10.
A staffer said: “He totally hates Nicola Sturgeon. He spends lots of his time bitching about Sturgeon. He loathes Salmond too. But why spend so much time talking about Sturgeon in a phone call with Theresa May?” SATURDAY
Trump spent the day on his Turnberry golf course, playing the most expensive round of gold in history, surrounded by a £5million ring of steel paid for by the UK Government.
The site’s vulnerability was highlighted by a protester who paraglided over it on Friday, with a banner reading: “Trump well below par #Resist.”
A man was arrested and charged in connection with the incident yesterday.
While Trump played on his golf course his Scottish nemesis Nicola Sturgeon joined the Pride march in Glasgow to show, she said, how Scotland “values tolerance and diversity”. Thousands more marched in Edinburgh against Trump. SUNDAY
Trump flew to Finland to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin. He left his parting shots in an interview with pal Piers Morgan due to be broadcast today.