
Ahead of his visit to the UK next week, Donald Trump has spoken to The Sun and said that Boris Johnson would be an 'excellent' prime minister
Although Theresa May will still be acting as prime minister during his visit, Trump has given Johnson the thumbs up telling the tabloid newspaper that the Tory MP would do a "very good job" in Number 10.
It’s something that I find very interesting. I actually have studied it very hard. I know the different players. But I think Boris would do a very good job. I think he would be excellent.
I like him. I have always liked him. I don’t know that he is going to be chosen, but I think he is a very good guy, a very talented person. He has been very positive about me and our country.
Johnson and Trump haven't always seen eye-to-eye, but there is no doubt that the former foreign secretary will welcome these words from the president in what has been an otherwise tumultuous week for the 54-year-old.
Although Trump has stopped short of fully endorsing Johnson, reaction to Trump's statement and interest in the Tory leadership race hasn't been warmly received online.
It pissed me off when Obama interfered in the Scottish independence referendum and this shit pisses me off too. https://t.co/aHViAd74xk— Liz Mair (@Liz Mair) 1559338815
From the man who once recommended Steve Bannon, Michael Cohen & Jeff Sessions - all of whom he then decided were no… https://t.co/0ClVsFqwWM— Chris Doyle (@Chris Doyle) 1559340176
Kim Jong-un, Vladimir Putin, Mohammed bin Salman, Jair Bolsonaro, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Rodrigo Duterte and now Bor… https://t.co/0ydKkMNUhb— Kevin Maguire (@Kevin Maguire) 1559374530
Donald Trump's endorsement of Boris Johnson is more significant than it looks. Yes he's just one xenophobic old guy… https://t.co/zvHOfzIudG— David Lammy (@David Lammy) 1559374568
That's the end of Johnson's hopes of winning the leadership then... https://t.co/iFwqEA9d1A— Ethan Spibey (@Ethan Spibey) 1559374406
This is like Charles Manson endorsing Fred West as a “wonderful B&B host” on TripAdvisor https://t.co/H3VT0PLSR2— James Felton (@James Felton) 1559375943
There's also this quote from Johnson which he might want to bury as quickly as he can.
Dear @realDonaldTrump, I know you support #BorisJohnson to be Britain's next PM, but are you aware he said "Trump… https://t.co/N00b6VUvQ4— Stefan Simanowitz (@Stefan Simanowitz) 1559332215
Elsewhere in the interview, Trump claimed that despite protests staged during his last visit, and further protests scheduled to take place this time, he believes he is loved in the UK.
Now I think I am really — I hope — I am really loved in the UK. I certainly love the UK.
He also reignited his feud with the Royal Family, calling Meghan Markle 'nasty' after she had branded him "divisive" and a "misogynist" during the 2016 presidential election, where she had supported Hillary Clinton.
Trump, seemingly unaware of these statements said:
I didn’t know that. What can I say? I didn’t know that she was nasty.
Needless to say, the internet appears to be on the Duchess of Sussex's side:
Prince Harry is going to kick his orange ass. You do not come for his wife, he is not the one. https://t.co/L7QcOrhIzB— Y’all got it (@Y’all got it) 1559356277
This is bound to make things awkward when Trump meets Prince Harry, along with Prince William and Kate Middleton, for a private lunch next week.
Markle will not be at the lunch as she will still be on maternity leave having only given birth to her first child just a matter of weeks ago.