Trump warns PM he will have tough time getting deal with EU

BREXIT: President believes counterpart Johnson will make ‘great’ leader for UK

Donald Trump has warned Boris Johnson he may be unable to reach a Brexit agreement with Brussels because the European Union are such tough negotiators.

The prime minister said he was “marginally more optimistic” about the possibility of getting a deal after talks in recent days with Europe’s key players.

But after his debut on the world stage at the G7 summit in Biarritz, US President Mr Trump suggested Mr Johnson could struggle – even though he will be a “great prime minister”.

“They may have to get out, they may not make a deal,” Mr Trump said.

“The European Union is very tough to make deals with – just ask Theresa May.”

Mr Trump, who held a first formal meeting with Mr Johnson in Biarritz, said he poked fun at the prime minister over the time it had taken him to finally get into Number 10.

“I really believe that Boris Johnson will be a great prime minister,” he said.

“We really like each other. And we had a great two-and-a-half days.

“I have been waiting for him to be prime minister for about six years. I told him, ‘what took you so long?’”

Responding to Mr Trump, the prime minister said while the EU were tough negotiators “that doesn’t mean we won’t do a deal”.

“It will be difficult, there is a substantial disagreement but my job is to make our case.”

He repeated his demand for the backstop, the contingency plan to retain close ties with the EU to prevent a hard border with Ireland, to be scrapped.

Mr Johnson has held talks in recent days with Germany’s Angela Merkel, France’s Emmanuel Macron and European Council chief Donald Tusk which have left him more upbeat about the prospect of reaching an agreement.

But major stumbling blocks remain, with opponents of a no-deal Brexit also mobilising in an attempt to prevent Mr Johnson meeting his pledge of leaving on October 31 come what may.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will convene a meeting of no-deal critics today before Parliament returns from its summer recess on September 3.

The prime minister repeatedly refused to rule out suspending Parliament in an effort to force through a no-deal Brexit.

But at the summit’s closing press conference he said: “I think it’s the job of everybody in Parliament to get this thing done.

“I think it’s what the people want, I also think, by the way, it’s what our friends and partners on the other side of the Channel want – they want it over.”

Picture: PA. Boris Johnson is “marginally more optimistic” than Donald Trump about an EU deal.

Picture: AP. US President Donald Trump joked with Boris Johnson about how long it took him to become prime minister.