Britain ‘still has confidence in US relationship’

POLITICS: It’s still ‘special’, insists May but she falls short of endorsing President Trump amid series of concerns

Theresa May has said Britain still has confidence in its special relationship with the US, amid a series of concerns linked to Donald Trump.

The Prime Minister did not give a direct endorsement of the US president when asked if she had full confidence in him, instead focusing on the relationship between the two countries.

She added the UK will continue to share intelligence with the US after it emerged Mr Trump disclosed classified information to senior Russian officials.

Mr Trump said he had “an absolute right” to share “facts pertaining to terrorism” and airline with safety with Russia, with the information, relating to a plot by terror group Islamic State, having been supplied to the US by Israel under an intelligence-sharing agreement.

The White House has also denied reports that Mr Trump personally appealed to then-FBI director James Comey to abandon the bureau’s investigation into National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and his Russian contacts.

Mrs May told a press conference in east London: “We have a very special relationship, as you know, with the United States of America.

“This is the most important defence and security relationship that we have around the world.

“I was very pleased that when I went to the United States shortly after President Trump’s inauguration he was able to commit to his 100 per cent commitment to Nato, which is an important bedrock of our security and the bedrock of the security of Europe.

“We continue to work together and we have confidence in that relationship between us and the United States that it helps to keep us all safer.

“Decisions about what President Trump discusses with anybody he has in the White House is a matter for President Trump.

“We continue to work with the United States and continue to share intelligence with the United States, as we do with others around the world, because we are all working together to deal with the threat that we face.

“So working with the United States and others to deal with that terrorist threat is an important part of maintaining our national security and we will continue to do so.”