Trump on Boris Johnson: He will be great as UK prime minister
Washington — President Donald Trump on Tuesday hailed the election of conservative Boris Johnson as Great Britain’s prime minister, emphasizing that the blond, shock-haired pol is being called the “British Trump” and saying that “He will be great” for the United Kingdom.
“Congratulations to Boris Johnson on becoming the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He will be great!” said Trump on Twitter.
And in a speech to a conservative youth conference in Washington, Trump went on to say that “We have a really good man who’s going to be the prime minister of the UK now, Boris Johnson,” adding that “People are saying that’s a good thing, that they like me over there. That’s what they wanted. That’s what they need.”
He also said that Johnson, who - like Trump - has made his mark in Britain by being a political provocateur, is “tough and ... smart.”
Johnson on Tuesday was elected as the new leader of Britain’s Conservative Party , also known as the Tories, and will assume the prime ministership on Wednesday promising to bring the country’s exit from the European Union , or “ Brexit ,” to fruition by Oct. 31 with or without a deal with the EU, although British lawmakers have threatened to vote out any government that tries to leave the bloc without an agreement.
As expected, the 55-year-old Johnson handily beat Jeremy Hunt in the party election, which had been called after Theresa May , who until her successor takes over will continue to be Britain’s prime minister, resigned in June over the Brexit crisis after she could not get Parliament to approve her pact to pull out of the EU.
Trump has been very critical of May, repeatedly offering unsolicited advice to her on negotiating Britain’s exit from the European bloc, saying she had done “a very bad job,” and adding that “I think Boris will straighten it out.”
Despite noting the “special relationship” between Washington and London on various occasions, Trump has ruffled many feathers within the alliance since he entered the Oval Office in January 2017.
Two weeks ago, Britain’s ambassador to the US, Kim Darroch, resigned after arousing considerable controversy - extremely embarrassing for British government - when secret documents were leaked in which he had provided his unvarnished assessment to London that the Trump administration is “dysfunctional” and “inept.”
Trump lashed out immediately at Darroch, calling him “wacky,” “a very stupid guy” and “a pompous fool.”
“The wacky Ambassador that the U.K. foisted upon the United States is not someone we are thrilled with, a very stupid guy,” Trump tweeted. “I don’t know the Ambassador but have been told he is a pompous fool.”
Darroch decided shortly thereafter to present his resignation to end the brouhaha, saying that the situation had made it “impossible” for him to properly fulfill his role as Britain’s envoy.
