Johnson to meet Trump three times in crucial first 100 days of power
New Tory leader receives resounding support from president ahead of vital summits to shape relationship between UK and US
BORIS JOHNSON is poised to meet the US president three times before the UK leaves the EU in exactly 100 days’ time – as Donald Trump yesterday referred to him as “Britain’s Trump”. The newly elected Tory leader, who will become prime minister later today after Theresa May tenders her resignation to the Queen, is not going to take any summer holiday to prepare for delivering Brexit, “do or die”, on Oct 31.
In an effort to strengthen the special relationship, he will make a visit to the US one of his first foreign policy priorities after the president said Mr Johnson will be a “great” prime minister.
Mr Trump later told a conservative youth rally in Washington DC: “We have a really good man who’s going to be the prime minister of the UK now, Boris Johnson. Good man. He’s tough and he’s smart.”
Referring to comparisons between Mr Johnson and himself, he added: “They’re saying Britain Trump. They call him Britain Trump. And people are saying that’s a good thing. They like me over there. That’s what they wanted.
“That’s what they need. It’s what they need. He’ll get it done. Boris is good, he’s going to do a good job.”
Speaking at Turning Point USA’S Teen Student Action Summit 2019, he also appeared to suggest that Mr Johnson should unite with Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, who was in the audience, saying: “I know he’s going to work well with Boris. They are going to do some tremendous things.”
With the British Embassy said to be “braced” for a visit in August, it has not yet been decided whether Mr Johnson will meet the president at the White House, his Mar-a-lago resort in Florida or at one of his golf courses, such as the Bedminster Club in New Jersey.
Two further meetings are then expected at the G7 in Biarritz, France, at the end of August, followed by the UN General Assembly in New York in September. The pair will also be expected to meet again at the 70th anniversary of Nato’s summit in London in December.
The move, which would see Mr Johnson spend “quality time” with the president over the summer, is designed not only to cement their relationship but also repair the damage of the Sir Kim Darroch affair before beginning to sketch out a post-brexit trade deal.
Ivanka Trump, Mr Trump’s daughter and one his key advisers, also tweeted her congratulations, though she ini
‘They call him Britain Trump. And people are saying that’s a good thing’
‘He’s not going to go cap in hand with his begging bowl around Europe like Theresa May did’
‘He needs to see Trump wherever he is, and he should spend at least a day with him, wherever he is’
tially said Mr Johnson was going to lead the “United Kingston” before correcting her tweet.
Mr Johnson indicated to The Daily
Telegraph this month that talking to the EU about a trade deal was a higher priority than US trade talks, and aides are in discussions about inviting Jeanclaude Juncker, the outgoing EU Commission president, to Chequers, possibly this weekend.
One insider stressed that Mr Johnson did not plan to travel to Brussels himself. “He is not going to go cap-inhand with his begging bowl around Europe like Theresa May did,” said the well-placed source. Instead, Mr Johnson’s most trusted advisers are urging him to schedule a meeting with Mr Trump within the next four weeks.
Another source added: “He is all but certain to go there because he needs to meet Trump. Washington is shut down during August so the chances are a meeting would be in Florida. But he needs to see Trump wherever he is, and he should spend at least a day with him, wherever he is.”
Mr Johnson will need to appoint a new ambassador to Washington following the resignation of Sir Kim, who was described as “wacky” and “pompous” by Mr Trump after the leak of diplomatic cables in which the ambassador had dismissed the Trump administration as “inept”.
Mr Johnson has been admired by Mr Trump and his team since he was foreign secretary. He met Mr Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and strategist, Steve Bannon, in 2017 before Mr Trump was sworn in, then had his first public meeting with Mr Trump at the United Nations that September.
In the immediate term, Mr Johnson will focus his efforts on home soil with a tour to all four corners of the UK. A speech is planned for Friday or Saturday, most likely in the north, before Mr Johnson travels to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in an effort to sell his vision for delivering Brexit and uniting the country. It is still to be decided whether he will address the House of Commons before MPS break up for the summer recess tomorrow.
With all of his key aides already in position, spearheaded by Sir Eddie Lister as chief of staff, long-term adviser Ben Gascoigne as deputy, Lee Cain as communications secretary and Munira Mirza tipped as policy chief, Mr Johnson now needs to finalise his Cabinet.
A split has emerged among Brexiteer Boris backers between those who agree with the Attorney General, Geoffrey Cox, that an amended Withdrawal Agreement can still get through parliament, and those who are more aligned with Iain Duncan Smith’s view that Mrs May’s Brexit deal is dead and a “managed no deal” is the only viable option out of the EU. If he cannot negotiate the Brexit deal, it is uncertain whether Mr Johnson will attempt to pass some of the uncontroversial parts of the Withdrawal Agreement or pass an emergency Budget before the Brexit deadline to prepare for no deal instead.
Whatever happens, Mr Johnson will launch a nationwide PR campaign to get the country and its businesses to prepare for no deal.
Another obstacle in Mr Johnson’s first 100 days in office will be the noconfidence motion set to be tabled when MPS return in September. Yesterday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the motion would be tabled “at a time of [their] choosing”, adding “it will be an interesting surprise for all of you”.
With ministers David Gauke, Rory Stewart and Anne Milton all having tendered their resignations amid suggestions Tory Remainers may support a no-confidence motion to stop the Government taking Britain out of the EU without a deal, Mr Johnson will have his work cut out trying to keep backbenchers under control.
The Tories’ majority of three appeared in jeopardy on Monday after Dover MP Charlie Elphicke was charged with sexual assault – and it may dwindle further if they lose the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election next Thursday. It was called after sitting Tory MP Chris Davies was found guilty of submitting false expenses claims.
Could a snap general election be on the cards? Only if MPS thwart Mr Johnson’s plans to leave without a deal, giving him no other option than to try to shore up the Tory majority to deliver Brexit once and for all.