Trump: What took you so long, Boris?
US president heaps praise on ‘smart’ Johnson as he promises ‘very big trade deal’, possibly within a year
‘We really like each other... I have been waiting for him to be Prime Minister for about six years’
DONALD TRUMP said he had been waiting six years for Boris Johnson to become Prime Minister, revealing that he told him: “What took you so long?”
He promised he would not “do over” the UK in post-brexit trade talks as he lavished praise on Mr Johnson as a “very smart”, “very strong” politician who would be a great Prime Minister.
“I think his time is right, it’s the right time for Boris,” he told a closing press conference at the Biarritz G7 summit.
The US president contrasted his evident bonhomie with Mr Johnson with his relationship with Theresa May, suggesting that her decision to reject his advice on Brexit ultimately led to her being ousted from Downing Street.
“Theresa was unable to do the deal. I gave her my ideas as to doing the deal very early. She chose to do it her way and that didn’t work out so well,” he said, adding she was a “good” woman.
Recalling Mrs May’s rough experience at the hands of Brussels, however, Mr Trump cautioned whether Mr Johnson would be able to secure a Brexit deal with the EU, whose negotiating was “very tough”.
“I deal with the EU – it’s a very strong group of people, they have their ideas and they’re not easy to deal with, I will tell you. The EU is very tough to make deals with – just ask Theresa May.”
Mr Trump’s press conference came moments before Mr Johnson held his own to mark the end of his first appearance on the world stage at a G7 summit.
“I really believe that Boris Johnson will be a great Prime Minister,” said Mr Trump. “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’. I think he is going to be a great Prime Minister and especially after spending a lot of intense time with him ... he is very smart, he is very strong and he is very enthusiastic.”
Asked if he intended to “do over” the UK in a trade deal, Mr Trump replied: “No, no, no. I love the UK. I own great property in the UK. I love the UK.”
On Sunday, Mr Trump promised a “very big trade deal” with the UK, which he said would happen “quickly”, potentially within a year – a timetable Mr Johnson admitted “would be tight”.
Asked if a UK or Europe alliance would be more important for the US, the president replied: “Both.”
Meanwhile, Scott Morrison, the Australian prime minister, said a Uk-australia trade deal could be done within a year. Responding to Mr Johnson’s indication that a post-brexit US deal could take more than a year, Scott Morrison said: “I would like to think we can move quicker than that.”
He added: “At the end of the day it’s got to be in our interests. We are not going to sign up to something we don’t think helps us and neither will they.”
Mr Johnson later said he wanted to avoid “quick” deals that failed to “maximise the opportunities for the UK”.
During the G7, Mr Johnson told Shinzō Abe, Japan’s prime minister, that his decision to resume commercial whaling was “disappointing”.
Carrie Symonds, Mr Johnson’s partner, has campaigned for some time on the issue in her role as head of communications for Oceana, the conservation NGO.