‘Trump the Grump’ scolded May from Air Force One

DONALD TRUMP questioned Theresa May over her Brexit plan and its impact on a possible UK-US free trade deal during a fractious telephone call as he travelled on Air Force One.

Well-placed UK sources told The Daily Telegraph that the US president was in a “bad mood” and acting like “Trump the Grump” during their conversation, which took place last Friday as Mr Trump flew to France to take part in Armistice commemorations.

Mrs May called to congratulate Mr Trump on the Republicans’ US midterm results – but received an irritated response from the president, who reportedly harangued her on a string of topics.

The Washington Post reported that Mr Trump “lost his cool” and “berated the British Prime Minister on Iran, trade and Brexit, among other topics”.

There is concern among British figures that Mr Trump is echoing the “Farage-bannon line” on Mrs May’s Brexit proposals – referring to criticism from Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader, and Steve Bannon, the former White House chief strategist, about the Prime Minister’s Chequers plan.

One UK government source said: “He was throwing a complete wobbly for two solid days in France. Quite what caused it … we don’t know. From what I understand it was Trump the Grump that day, but we all have bad days.”

The source added: “There is a Farage-bannon line which is in his head and we know that’s his mentality. But that’s fine, we live with that.”