Donald Trump hails Britain a 'very special ally'
The President-elect and the Prime Minister will meet in Washington in the spring
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump has said he is “very much” looking forward to meeting Theresa May in the coming months and described Britain as a “very special” ally.
The President-elect of the United States and the Prime Minister will meet in Washington in the spring, following preparatory meetings by her closest advisers over the Christmas period.
He wrote on Twitter: “I look very much forward to meeting Prime Minister Theresa May in Washington in the Spring. Britain, a longtime U.S. ally, is very special!”
Mr Trump’s warm words will be welcomed by Downing Street after so much of the spotlight falling on his relationship with former Ukip leader Nigel Farage.
After a turbulent week Whitehall may also find comfort in the President-elect’s signal that the “special relationship” between the US and the UK will be maintained under his administration.
A date for the meeting is yet to be revealed, but it is expected to come within weeks of Mr Trump’s inauguration on 20 January.
The relative proximity of the occasions may be perceived as another boon for the Prime Minister, after she was pipped to speaking with the tycoon following his election by the leaders of nearly a dozen countries.
The pair are understood to have spoken twice since his victory in November, with the PM suggesting key staff meet to lay the groundwork for a visit.
Ms May’s joint chiefs of staff Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill then travelled to the US in December to build links with the President-elect’s team.
A No 10 source said: “This was part of a process leading towards the PM’s first visit with President-elect Trump.
“During the second phone call with President-elect Trump, the Prime Minister suggested it would be a good idea for key staff from both teams to meet. President-elect Trump agreed this would be useful.
“We are pleased to have been able to make that happen and the Prime Minister looks forward to visiting the new president in the spring.”
The Prime Minister’s relationship with the White House is seen as key as Britain prepares to leave the EU and redefines its position in the world.
However, a different figure has stolen much of the limelight in the months following Mr Trump’s election.
Mr Farage became the first UK politician to meet the President-elect when he travelled to New York just days after his surprise win.
The pair discussed plans to return a bust of Sir Winston Churchill to the Oval Office and were photographed laughing together in a gold-lined lift at Trump Tower.
Later in November there was further embarrassment for No 10 when Mr Trump suggested Mr Farage should take over as the British ambassador to the US.
He said the former Ukip leader “would do a great job!” as the senior diplomat in Washington, a post currently held by Sir Kim Darroch. Downing Street said there was “no vacancy”.
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