Brexit: US Prez backs Johnson

Biarritz (France), August 25

US President Donald Trump on Sunday backed British PM Boris Johnson as the “right man” for Brexit and sent mixed signals about his trade war with China at a G7 summit dominated by worries about the global economy. “He’s going to be a fantastic PM,” Trump said in their first meeting since Johnson took office last month.

Asked what his advice was for Brexit, Trump replied: “He needs no advice. He’s the right man for the job. I've been saying that for a long time.” In the lead-up to the talks, Johnson had appeared at pains to distance himself from Trump after facing accusations in the past of being too cosy with the American leader.

Johnson again pressed a common message from European leaders at the summit about Trump’s escalating trade war with China. “Just to register a faint, sheep-like note of our view on the trade war — we are in favour of trade peace on the whole,” Johnson told Trump.

The US leader promised Johnson “very big trade deal, bigger than we’ve ever had”, but couldn’t resist another undiplomatic dig at the European Union. Trump wishes he had raised tariffs on Chinese goods even higher last week, the White House said, even as Trump signaled he did not plan to follow through with a demand that US firms find ways to close operations in China. — AFP