Trump 'berates' Theresa May after she calls to congratulate him on midterm elections

President grills PM on Brexit and complains about trade during foul-tempered conversation

Donald Trump berated Theresa May over perceived failings on Iran, unfair trade deals and Brexit during a foul-tempered phone call, it has been reported.

The US president is said to have lashed out at Ms May after she phoned him on Friday to congratulate him on the Republican Party’s showing in the midterm elections.

Mr Trump’s party lost control of the House of Representatives and made only small gains in the Senate.

According to The Washington Post, the billionaire berated the prime minister for not doing enough to contain Iran. Mr Trump pulled the US out of the joint Iran nuclear deal earlier this year in favour of imposing sanctions, though the other countries party to the agreement said they would try to keep it going, and have said there is no evidence Tehran is breaking the terms of the deal.

He also grilled Ms May on Brexit and complained about trade deals between the US and European countries he viewed as unfair, the paper reported.

The Independent has contacted Downing Street and the White House for comment.

Getting trade deals that favour the US has been a key plank of Mr Trump’s agenda and he has long lamented “unfair” treatment by nations across the globe. South Korea has already signed a fresh trade agreement and Mr Trump’s administration is currently pushing Japan to do the same.

On Tuesday he hit out at Emmanuel Macron and said that “France makes it very hard for the U.S. to sell its wines into France, and charges big Tariffs”.

The spat with the French president stemmed from comments the En Marche founder made last week, calling for the creation of a European army to defend against Russia, China and even the US. Angela Merkel has since made similar calls.

On Twitter, Mr Trump called that idea “very insulting” and later mocked his counterpart’s approval ratings as well as France’s contributions during the world wars.

He tweeted on Tuesday: “Emmanuel Macron suggests building its own army to protect Europe against the U.S., China and Russia. But it was Germany in World Wars One & Two – How did that work out for France? They were starting to learn German in Paris before the U.S. came along. Pay for NATO or not!”

Mr Trump also chafed at Mr Macron’s recent speech warning against the rise of nationalism in which the 40-year-old said the phenomenon was a “betrayal of patriotism” in an address apparently aimed at Mr Trump and Vladimir Putin. Mr Trump had declared himself “a nationalist” during a campaign rally before the midterms.

“The old demons are rising again, ready to complete their task of chaos and of death,” the French president said at a Remembrance Sunday ceremony as the American and Russian leaders looked on.

Continuing his Tuesday rant against Mr Macron, Mr Trump tweeted: “By the way, there is no country more Nationalist than France, very proud people-and rightfully so!........”

The Post reported that Mr Trump had passed a furious five days since the midterms both ”frustrated with the trip” abroad, according to a White House official, and angry at late midterms vote-counting in Florida.

On Twitter he hit out at media coverage of his decision not to attend a ceremony on Saturday as part of First World War centenary commemorations.

The president had been due to lay a wreath at the Aisne-Marne cemetery where American war dead are buried but the White House said heavy rain and fog had kept him away – sparking a storm of criticism.

He tweeted on Tuesday: “By the way, when the helicopter couldn’t fly to the first cemetery in France because of almost zero visibility, I suggested driving. Secret Service said NO, too far from airport & big Paris shutdown. Speech next day at American Cemetery in pouring rain! Little reported-Fake News!”

Mr Trump’s dissatisfaction reportedly extends to members of his cabinet – he is said to have expressed a desire to oust both Kirstjen Nielsen, his homeland security secretary, and John Kelly, his chief of staff. His view of the pair has soured due to frustration that his administration is not doing more to address what he has called a crisis at the US-Mexico border.

Immigration is the president’s signature issue and he leaned heavily on it ahead of the midterms vote.

Yet late results showed the Democrats had picked up at least 32 seats in the House, and had flipped seven governors’ offices and eight state legislative chambers. It marked the party’s best midterm performance since 1974 – the year Republican president Richard Nixon resigned over Watergate.