Tact gets the better of turbulence in this special relationship

Ten years ago, Donald Trump published a guide to success in business. In the book – entitled Think Big and Kick Ass – the future president shared the following secret: “You hear lots of people say that a great deal is when both sides win,” Mr Trump wrote. “That is a bunch of crap. In a great deal, you win – not the other side. You crush the opponent and come away with something better for yourself.”

Perhaps someone could buy Theresa May or her advisers a copy of that book for Christmas, because in Downing Street the view appears to be that, when it comes to post-brexit trade negotiations, Mr Trump will resist his urge to “crush the opponent”, and offer a deal that benefits both sides. To avoid jeopardising this unprecedented outbreak of munificence, however, we have to be very, very careful not to upset him.

Imagine the agonies Mrs May must have gone through, then, when Mr Trump used Twitter to share misleading anti-muslim videos from a British far-right group. In the end, the Prime Minister settled for telling her spokesman to say that Mr Trump was “wrong” to share the videos. She did not, however, cancel his proposed state visit.

In the Commons yesterday, MPS from all parties, including the Conservatives, queued up to condemn Mr Trump. Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, was given the unenviable task of trying to persuade them all that Mrs May had shown fearless leadership.

The Prime Minister had acted “robustly”, she insisted. She had responded “so strongly”. She had “stood up to” extremism by “criticising the president for retweeting … She has been explicit in criticising this tweet...”

But, asked Stephen Doughty (Lab, Cardiff South & Penarth), had Mrs May actually told Mr Trump directly?

“The Prime Minister will always have regular calls with the president,” replied Ms Rudd, answering by not answering.

Mrs May was in Jordan. Unfortunately, the press were, too, and they all wanted to ask about was Mr Trump. Overnight, he had used Twitter to tell Mrs May personally to mind her own business. Was she going to take that?

“I’ve made my position clear,” said Mrs May, before leaping with gazellelike haste into an encomium for “the special relationship”.

Unsatisfied, a second journalist asked for her response. After all, an American president had publicly slighted a British Prime Minister.

“I have to say, I’m not a prolific tweeter myself and that means I don’t spend all my time looking at other people’s tweets,” sniffed Mrs May. It wasn’t tremendously convincing – but amused insouciance, she had evidently decided, was the least risky approach available. I wonder what her answer would have been if the president had insulted her on TV instead?

“I don’t get much time for lying around watching television all day. This job is rather busy, you know.”