Ahead of UK visit, Trump praises Brexit-supporting 'friends' Johnson and Farage

By Steve Holland and Guy Faulconbridge

 

Former British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who is running to succeed Theresa May as Prime Minister, leaves his home in London, Britain, May 30, 2019. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

 

WASHINGTON/LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump lauded Britain's most high-profile Brexit supporters - Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage - as his friends on Thursday, weighing into Britain's political crisis just days before his state visit to London.

 

Trump told reporters he had great respect for Johnson and Farage and considered them friends, but declined to say whether he supported Johnson to succeed Theresa May, who is stepping down as prime minister after failing to steer the country out of the European Union.

 

"Nigel Farage is a friend of mine. Boris is a friend of mine," Trump told reporters as he left the White House to deliver a speech in Colorado.

 

"I like them ... but I haven't thought about supporting them. Maybe it's not my business to support people, but I have a lot of respect for both of those men."

 

Johnson is a former foreign minister seen as the favourite to replace May after she steps down as Conservative Party leader on June 7. He has said Britain should be prepared to leave the bloc without a deal, arguing that stance would force the EU to offer it better terms.

 

Farage, who led the unofficial campaign to leave the EU in the 2016 Brexitreferendum, wants to leave the bloc without any agreement.

 

When asked about Brexit, Trump's national security adviser John Bolton said the United States remained Britain's most steadfast ally and dismissed questions about the security implications of leaving the bloc.

 

"You know, America declared its independence once – we made out okay," Bolton quipped to reporters in London.

 

'NO-DEAL BREXIT'?

Britain's finance minister warned those in his party vying for May's job that a no-dealBrexit would endanger the economy.

 

The Brexit crisis that has engulfed British politics for months has deepened with the impending departure of May, who was unable to get parliamentary approval for the withdrawal deal she had negotiated with Brussels.

 

A new Conservative Party leader, who should be in place and take over the premiership by the end of July, is likely to want a more decisive split, raising the chances of a confrontation with the EU and potentially a snap parliamentary election.

 

"We need to get the spectre of a no-deal exit off the table," finance minister Philip Hammond told the BBC. "Leaving with no deal would be a very bad outcome for the economy."

 

Hammond, underlining his view on a no deal, indicated he could be prepared to vote to collapse his party's government if he felt it was heading in the wrong direction.

 

The United Kingdom was supposed to have left the EU on March 29 but its politicians are still arguing over how, when or even whether the country will leave the club it joined in 1973.

 

That political failure caused car production to plunge last month as factories shut down in expectation of a Brexit that never came, according to data published on Thursday.

 

An exit - currently due to happen on Oct. 31 - without a deal would mean no transition period. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said the disruption could be akin to the 1970s oil shock.

 

May's government has repeatedly warned of the disruption a no-deal Brexit would cause for everything from travel with pets to the import of crucial medicines and supply chains that criss-cross Europe and beyond.

 

Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the danger of a no deal had risen with May's departure announcement, and pledged to do everything he could to stop it.

 

Brexit supporters admit there may be some short-term effects but say that in the long term the United Kingdom would thrive outside what they cast as an undemocratic and excessively bureaucratic system dominated by Germany.

 

(Additional reporting by William James and Kate Holton; Writing by Guy Faulconbridge and David Alexander; Editing John Stonestreet and Frances Kerry)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-31

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1 hour ago, webfact said:

Nigel Farage is a friend of mine. Boris is a friend of mine," Trump told reporters

My friendships require a little more than one handshake or a phone conversation.

But then I'm not desperate for friendships like Donald Trump.

Next week he'll be calling the Queen and many of the Royal Family friends of his.

Edited May 31, 20197 yr by neeray
add on sentence.

I can only state that I am delighted that The Donald is visiting the UK.

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The geo-political weakening of Europe is the goal of the Trump administration. A fragmentation of the world's largest market would strengthen US bargaining power. Trump likes to use shortsighted nationalists.

A circus is not a circus without clowns...

5 hours ago, neeray said:

My friendships require a little more than one handshake or a phone conversation.

But then I'm not desperate for friendships like Donald Trump.

Next week he'll be calling the Queen and many of the Royal Family friends of his.

LOL. People think others that click on a "friend" button on facebook are real friends. It's a mad world we live in.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Jeremy Corbyn said the danger of a no deal had risen with May's departure announcement, and pledged to do everything he could to stop it.

He doesn't want Brexit anyway, and is doing everything he can to stop it. So much for democracy.

"...And get that man with double chin
Who'll always cheat and always win, 
Who washes his repulsive skin 
In women's tears"

 

Slough

 

6 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

 

They should get similar ones made for Boris and Farage - 3 little piglets all together!

Leave PM office vacant until after Donald's visit might be good idea...

Trump decides foreign policy based on if he likes or dislikes leaders. Seems rather grade school approach. As he knows so little, that is probably his only option. How about basing policy on such concepts as "it is good for USA".... "This action helps our allies"... "What might be ramifications of this further down the road?"

Nope. "I like him" or "I don't like him".

8 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

He doesn't want Brexit anyway, and is doing everything he can to stop it. So much for democracy.

 

You are joking! Corbyn voted against joining and has been against it ever since.

 

He wants out and pretends he wants a soft Brexit or second referendum to appease forces within Labor.

 

Left to him, he'd take us out of the EU, out of NATO, scrap nuclear and most conventional forces and allow the UK to split up.

2 minutes ago, Emdog said:

Leave PM office vacant until after Donald's visit might be good idea...

Trump decides foreign policy based on if he likes or dislikes leaders. Seems rather grade school approach. As he knows so little, that is probably his only option. How about basing policy on such concepts as "it is good for USA".... "This action helps our allies"... "What might be ramifications of this further down the road?"

Nope. "I like him" or "I don't like him".

 

May will still be PM for his visit. Maybe he fancies her?

Trump, Farage and Boris Johnson.

 

Three dodgy spivs who are compulsive liars but make millions from conning people.

 

Easy to see why they're mates!

21 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

They should get similar ones made for Boris and Farage - 3 little piglets all together!

Real pictures will do the job.

Come on over Donald, we're all looking forward to seeing you again. Never mind the wets and the kids playing up again, sorry but we have to let them you know. We'll shoot that blimp down though.
It's a state affair this time, so the two bit politicians like Corbyn, Cable, Bercow, Khan and the rest of them are not coming. Boris and Nigel will however, be very happy to discuss how we're having Brexit and will be trading with you in the near future. 

6 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

The geo-political weakening of Europe is the goal of the Trump administration. A fragmentation of the world's largest market would strengthen US bargaining power. Trump likes to use shortsighted nationalists.

exactly my opinion, keep your enemies and above all your friends weak.

18 minutes ago, Loiner said:

Come on over Donald, we're all looking forward to seeing you again. Never mind the wets and the kids playing up again, sorry but we have to let them you know. We'll shoot that blimp down though.
It's a state affair this time, so the two bit politicians like Corbyn, Cable, Bercow, Khan and the rest of them are not coming. Boris and Nigel will however, be very happy to discuss how we're having Brexit and will be trading with you in the near future. 

The queen will pretend to like you as well, she is a diplomat of the first order, she will hide her disgust with a brave smile.

1 hour ago, soalbundy said:

The queen will pretend to like you as well, she is a diplomat of the first order, she will hide her disgust with a brave smile.

 

It’s good to know,and we are extremely honoured to have here on T.V. a confident of H.M.

 
They should get similar ones made for Boris and Farage - 3 little piglets all together!

Sad that your dislike or even hatred for these 3 people comes out in this way.
What are you like re making a footie balloon of some team you dislike or hate???

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Trump, Farage and Boris Johnson.
 
Three dodgy spivs who are compulsive liars but make millions from conning people.
 
Easy to see why they're mates!

Well now..can I ask you what your thoughts are re blair..a campbell etc etc who imo took the UK into an illegal war .

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Well that makes 3 people I should never like to hear about again in an ideal world.

Unfortunately all 3 are likely to be around for the foreseeable future and the world will be a nastier place for that.

I can never remember a time when so many countries had such disagreeable politicians. 

2 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

You are joking! Corbyn voted against joining and has been against it ever since.

 

He wants out and pretends he wants a soft Brexit or second referendum to appease forces within Labor.

 

Left to him, he'd take us out of the EU, out of NATO, scrap nuclear and most conventional forces and allow the UK to split up.

I'll take your word for it, as I don't know too much about comrade Corbyn, but given the destruction successive post BAOR governments have wrought on the military, I can't see that the UK has much left other than the nuclear missile subs to deter an invader. Might as well send all the troops home to learn the language of whatever the enemy of the day is, so they know how to say "I surrender" in the correct parlance.

Perhaps the country would be better off if it did split up. It's certainly not very "united" any more.

2 minutes ago, Jonnapat said:

Well that makes 3 people I should never like to hear about again in an ideal world.

Unfortunately all 3 are likely to be around for the foreseeable future and the world will be a nastier place for that.

I can never remember a time when so many countries had such disagreeable politicians. 

I can.

2 hours ago, Loiner said:

Come on over Donald, we're all looking forward to seeing you again. Never mind the wets and the kids playing up again, sorry but we have to let them you know. We'll shoot that blimp down though.
It's a state affair this time, so the two bit politicians like Corbyn, Cable, Bercow, Khan and the rest of them are not coming. Boris and Nigel will however, be very happy to discuss how we're having Brexit and will be trading with you in the near future. 

Some of those won't attend because they've turned down the invitation to be in the same company as Trump. Well done to them.

2 hours ago, soalbundy said:

exactly my opinion, keep your enemies and above all your friends weak.

LOL. British governments post BAOR have all connived to weaken the military and have certainly made a shambles of the country.

3 hours ago, soalbundy said:

she will hide her disgust with a brave smile.

But she may not hide it with a certain hat or a scarf.

She is always First Class.

10 hours ago, webfact said:

"You know, America declared its independence once – we made out okay,"

Just took America a couple of decades before its own civil war.

Some of those won't attend because they've turned down the invitation to be in the same company as Trump. Well done to them.

Petty NOBODYS looking for their 1 minute of fame..thats all THEY are.

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4 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Real pictures will do the job.

 

And the alternative looks even dodgier.

Edited May 31, 20197 yr by ratcatcher