May reveals Trump Brexit advice: Sue EU, don’t negotiate
LONDON — In the midst of a messy political crisis at home over Britain’s impending exit from the European Union, Prime Minister Theresa May revealed Sunday that President Donald Trump gave her this piece of advice: Sue the EU, don’t negotiate.
A bemused Ms. May turned him down. But the exchange was the latest example of the awkward dance between the U.S. and Britain, with the two leaders attempting to put on a public show of friendliness despite clear strains over trade, the EU and their approaches to diplomacy.
Mr. Trump told reporters on Friday that he had given Ms. May advice about how to deal with the EU that she found too “brutal.” Asked in a BBC interview Sunday what that was, Ms. May responded with an amused expression: “He told me I should sue the EU.”
Asked by the visibly surprised interviewer to repeat her account of Mr. Trump’s advice, Ms. May did so: “Sue the EU,” she said, smiling, “not go into negotiation, sue them.” With a laugh, she added: “Actually, no, no, we are going into negotiations with them.”
Her comments were seen by some as pushing back against the U.S. president. Over the past few days, Mr. Trump’s first official visit to Britain had been steered wildly off course by a series of humiliating remarks he has made about Ms. May’s leadership.
Inan explosive interview with The Sun newspaper published Thursday — just as Ms. May was hosting Mr. Trump at a lavish black-tie dinner — Mr. Trump said the British leader’s approach likely “killed” chances of a free-trade deal with the United States. He said he had told Ms. May how to conduct Brexit negotiations, “but she didn’t listen to me.”
He also praised Ms. May’s rival, Boris Johnson, who quit last week as foreign secretary to protest Ms. May’s Brexit plans. Mr. Trump claimed Mr. Johnson would make a “great primeminister.”
The comments shocked many in Britain and came ata crucial time for the British prime minister, who is facing a crisis over Brexit from within her own ranks. Her Conservative government is deeply split between supporters of a clean break with the EU and those who want to keep close ties with the bloc, Britain’s biggest trading partner.
The U.S. president later apologized and sought to soften the blow, telling reporters at a joint news conference Friday that Ms. May is an “incredible woman” who is “doing a fantastic job” as premier.
Asked to rate U.S.-U.K. relations, Mr. Trump called them the “highest level of special.” He added it was up to Ms. May how to handle Brexit, as long as the U.S. “can trade and we don’t have any restrictions” on commerce with the U.K.
On Sunday, Ms. May seemed to point to Mr. Trump’s inconsistent advice when she said that as well as telling her to “sue” the EU, he also suggested not walking away from the negotiations.
Ms.May didn’t elaborate, and it wasn’t clear what grounds Britain would have to sue the EU, how it would work or to what purpose.