Trump claims Boris Johnson asked him to arrange surprise meeting between Harry Dunn’s parents and woman accused over his death

‘I spoke with Boris, he asked me if I’d do that and I did it,’ US president says

Boris Johnson asked Donald Trump to arrange a meeting between Harry Dunn’s parents and the woman involved the car crash that killed their teenage son, the US president has claimed.

Anne Sacoolas was at the White House when Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn met Mr Trump to discuss the case.

Their 19-year-old son was killed in a car crash outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire on 27 August and Ms Sacoolas was questioned by officers at the scene.

But the US diplomat's wife later left the UK and is refusing to return to cooperate with the investigation.

It subsequently emerged that she was at the White House when Ms Charles and Mr Dunn met with the US president, but they declined an invitation to speak with her. Their lawyer, Radd Seiger later said they felt "a little ambushed" by the suggestion they should meet.

Mr Trump has now claimed that the meeting had been suggested by Britain's prime minister Boris Johnson.

“I spoke with Boris, he asked me if I’d do that and I did it,” he told reporters in the Oval Office, ahead of a meeting with Italy's prime minister, Sergio Mattarella.

The Independent understands that Mr Trump raised the possibility of arranging a White House meeting with Ms Sacoolas during the exchange, but at that point Downing Street was unaware the Dunn family planned to travel to the US and meet with Mr Trump.

“The prime minister and president spoke last Wednesday,” a Downing Street spokesperson said. “The prime minister asked the president to do all he could to help resolve this tragic issue. The president agreed to work on trying to find a way forward.”

Mr Trump described the meeting with Ms Charles and Mr Dunn "was beautiful in a certain way", but they "did not want to meet with the person in question."

He said: "It was very sad, to be honest. They lost their son. I believe [the suspect] was going down the wrong way. Because that happens in Europe. You go to Europe and the roads are opposite. And it’s very tough..if you’re from the US, you do make that decision to make a right turn where you’re supposed to make a left turn [and] the roads are opposite.

“And [the suspect] said that’s what happened. That happens to a lot of people, by the way."

He added that he had "offered to bring the person in question in" but they "weren’t ready for it. But I did offer.”

He said that Ms Charles and Mr Dunn had "wanted to meet with" Ms Sacoolas "and unfortunately, when we had everybody together, they decided not to meet."

He added: “Perhaps, they had lawyers involved by that time – I don’t know exactly."

However, Mr Seiger told BBC Breakfast: "I thought we were coming down to have a debate on the diplomatic immunity law. It soon became clear to us that the real reason for inviting us down was to try and get Charlotte and Mrs Sacoolas in a room together."

He added: “It was quite an extraordinary meeting. After the pleasantries and greetings, and of course quite sincere and warm condolences, he got down to business and said he had Mrs Sacoolas in the next room. I nearly had a heart attack, because I thought he was just going to bring her in. That’s when I quite forcefully said no, that’s not happening Mr President, these good people are not ready.”

Mr Seiger said the White House had invited at least three photographers to the meeting and appeared “ready to do a press call”.

“I think the family feel a little ambushed to say the least and disappointed they made the effort to go all the way down there and all the way back up with really no further progress towards achieving the closure they’re so desperately seeking,” he said.

US national security adviser Robert O’Brien, who was present for the talks with Mr Trump, told the couple “quite emphatically” that Ms Sacoolas “is never coming back” to the UK, the lawyer added.