Trump: May didn’t listen to me on Brexit, now it’s being ripped apart

US president pledges ‘large scale’ trade deal for UK but says he would have done better negotiating with EU

DONALD TRUMP has said he “hates” seeing Brexit being “ripped apart” and that Theresa May “didn’t listen” to his advice on negotiating with the EU.

Speaking in the Oval Office yesterday, while meeting Leo Varadkar, the Irish Taoiseach, who is in the US ahead of St Patrick’s Day, the president said he had been watching the “very sad” developments in the UK.

However, Mr Trump promised that a “large scale” trade deal with “unlimited potential” was waiting to be done between the UK and US after Brexit.

Mr Trump opened his meeting with Mr Varadkar, saying: “You’re going to have to tell me what’s happening [with Brexit]. You’re going to have to, perhaps, tell the world what’s happening because I’m not sure anybody knows.”

He went on to say his approach to negotiations would have worked better than the Prime Minister’s, and that the country was being “torn apart”.

He said: “I will tell you, I’m surprised at how badly it’s all gone from the standpoint of a negotiation. But I gave the Prime Minister my ideas on how to negotiate it, and I think you would have been successful. She didn’t listen to that, and that’s fine.

“I mean, she’s gotta do what she’s gotta do, but I think it could have been negotiated in a different manner, frankly. I hate to see it, everything being ripped apart right now.”

Mr Trump has previously said his advice on how to secure Brexit may have been “too brutal” for Mrs May.

Addressing the question of a second referendum, the president indicated it should not happen because it was “very unfair”.

He said: “I don’t think another vote would be possible because it would be very unfair to the people that won, that say ‘What do you mean you’re going to take another vote?’ So that’d be tough.

“I thought it [the 2016 referendum result] would happen, it did happen, but both sides are very, very, you know, they’re cemented in. It’s a tough situation. It’s a shame.

“There was no reason for that to happen. They could have had the vote and it should have gone smoothly. Unfortunately, it didn’t. It’s a very complicated Donald Trump told Leo Varadkar he wanted Britain’s EU exit to be a success issue, and actually the issue on the border of Ireland is one of the most complex points.”

Mr Trump said a delay to Britain’s exit from the EU seemed inevitable but he added that he would like to see Brexit turned into a success. He said: “I would like to see that whole situation with Brexit work out. You know, we’re talking to them about trade, and we can do a very big trade deal with the UK. But it’s very sad to see what’s happening there, and there was no reason.”

Mr Trump added: “We’re also renegotiating our trade deal with the European groups. We’re talking to the EU about trade, they’re willing to talk to us. And if they don’t talk to us we’re going to do something that’s going to be pretty severe economically, tariff a lot of their products coming in, because the EU treats us very, very unfairly. It’ll probably work out.

“Otherwise, we’re going to do something that’s good for the United States.”

Later, following a private audience with the president, Mr Varadkar said the pair had a “really good meeting”.

‘I gave the prime minister my ideas on how to negotiate it... She didn’t listen to that, and that’s fine’

He said: “We spoke about Brexit. Needless to say we have very different views ... as to whether it’s a good thing.”

He said Mr Trump was supportive of the peace process in Ireland and wanted to avoid a hard border.

The Irish prime minister said: “It’s not particularly support that I’ve asked for from the president on Brexit. What I’ve asked for is an understanding of our situation, particularly when it comes to Northern Ireland and avoiding a hard border, and protecting the peace process. And he is supportive of that point.”

The president said he would soon be visiting Ireland. He said: “I’ll be coming at some point during the year. It’s just a great place.”

Speaking at the annual Friends of Ireland luncheon in Washington, Mr Trump added: “It will all work out. Everything does. One way or the other, it’s going to work out.”

Arlene Foster, the DUP leader, also met Mr Trump, and Mike Pence, the vice president, at the Capitol Hill lunch. She said there was “great commitment amongst the US administration to help Northern Ireland”. She added that she had invited Mr Trump and Mr Pence to The Open golf championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland in July.