London, June 4: President Donald Trump touted a “very, very substantial trade deal” between the United States and Britain after Brexit as he met Prime Minister Theresa May Tuesday for fraught talks held amid street protests.
He joked to the outgoing British leader that she should “stick around” and reach a much stronger economic alliance with the United States once her country finally leaves the European Union.
“I think we will have a very very substantial trade deal. It will be a very fair deal,” he told her at a meeting with business leaders and ministers, adding: “We’re going to get it done.” Despite having repeatedly criticised May’s Brexit strategy, Trump said she had done “a fantastic job”.
Nearby, left-wing activists inflated an orange blimp of a baby Trump dressed in a diaper at a rally outside parliament that brought morning rush hour traffic to a halt. It signalled the start of what are expected to be large protests against the president on the second day of his three-day state visit.
“Trump baby is just a mascot for a massive movement against Trump’s hateful and divisive politics,” organiser Leo Murray told AFP. The President’s visit is technically centred around Wednesday’s D-Day 75th anniversary commemorations on the south shore of England. But it comes at an especially chaotic time for Britain.
May will step down as Conservative Party leader Friday over her inability to deliver Brexit despite focusing on little else in almost three years in office. She will stay on as Prime Minister until her successor is found among 13 contenders who must make some difficult choices before the twice-delayed Brexit deadline October 31.
