Former House speaker Newt Gingrich has said that President Donald Trump could be the next Margaret Thatcher.

While political leaders and commentators alike have compared Trump to former President Ronald Reagan, Gingrich says that the 'real model' for the Trump Presidency is Britain's former Prime Minister.

In an op-ed for the Washington Post on Thursday, Gingrich said that Trump's inauguration speech had that 'directness and confrontational tone' of a speech given by Thatcher.

He claims that Trump is a 'mortal threat to both the power structure and the ideology of the left', and suggests that liberals are reacting to the new President the same way the British left reacted when Thatcher came into office in 1979.

Newt Gingrich says that the 'real model' for the Trump Presidency is former Prime Minister Thatcher. He claims that Trump is a 'mortal threat to both the power structure and the ideology of the left', and suggests that liberals are reacting to the new president the same way the British left reacted when Thatcher came into office in 1979

In an op-ed for the Washington Post on Thursday, Gingrich said that Trump's inauguration speech had that 'directness and confrontational tone' of a speech given by Thatcher.

'Reagan was focused on breaking the power of the Soviet Union, not breaking the power of political correctness and the elite media that has increasingly dominated the United States. They were frightened of Reagan, but they weren't enraged by him,' Gingrich writes.

Gingrich, who served as House speaker from 1995 to 1999, made his comments just as Prime Minister Theresa May was preparing to meet with Trump in Washington, DC.

He writes that congressional Democrats have adopted 'pure negativity and opposition tactics more like the Labour Party's reaction to Thatcher than then-House Speaker Tip O'Neill's much more nuanced approach to Reagan'.

In his column, he claims that the British left became 'unhinged with its bitter hostility', and says that after the 1987 election, Labour Party supporters became known as the 'Loony Left'.

And the American left is heading in the same direction, Gingrich warns, suggesting that the ideology shared at last week's women march 'repels most Americans'.

Earlier this week, Gingrich said that Madonna 'ought to be arrested' for telling the crowd at the women's rights march in Washington, DC, last week that she's 'thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House.'

During an interview on Fox & Friends on Monday, Gingrich said Madonna is part of 'an emerging left-wing fascism', adding that she changed her tune because 'she now understands she's at risk.'

The Secret Service confirmed that it will be investigating Madonna for her words.

He made his comments just as British Prime Minister Theresa May was preparing to meet with Trump in Washington, DC

Above all else, Gingrich writes in his column, Thatcher wanted to destroy socialism.

'Thatcher believed socialism was destroying the spirit of individual responsibility, hard work and entrepreneurship, which she felt was at the heart of Britain's success,' he says. 'Her campaign against the values and principles of socialism was a moral campaign.'

He says that Thatcher saw her fight as 'Churchillian', suggesting that Trump's decision to bring a bust of Winston Churchill back into the Oval Office is a signal of the 'same resolve'.

'Like Thatcher, Trump is similarly focused on destroying the moral legitimacy of the left and breaking the power of the lobbyist and bureaucratic establishment in Washington,' he writes.

'His actions thus far in office, including steps to restore the rule of law in immigration and move forward with vital energy infrastructure projects, have been consistent with these goals.

Gingrich closes his column by suggesting that Trump and May's meeting on Friday will revitalize the 'special relationship' that there once was between Great Britain and the United States.'

'This week's visit may revitalize the special relationship that the United States and Britain have had ever since 1941,' Gingrich concluded. 'Prime Minister Thatcher would have approved.'

In her speech, May referred several times to Republican President Reagan and Conservative Prime Minister Thatcher - politicians from very different backgrounds who forged an alliance that helped transform their parties, and the world

Meanwhile, as she spoke to a gathering of top Republicans on Thursday, May said she wanted the UK and America to 'stand strong together' and the two countries must be 'smart and hard-headed', but only mentioned Trump by name once in her speech.

She said: 'It is in our interests – those of Britain and America together – to stand strong together to defend our values, our interests and the very ideas in which we believe. This cannot mean a return to the failed policies of the past.

'The days of Britain and America intervening in sovereign countries in an attempt to remake the world in our own image are over.

'But nor can we afford to stand idly by when the threat is real and when it is in our own interests to intervene.

'We must be strong, smart and hard-headed. And we must demonstrate the resolve necessary to stand up for our interests.'

The Prime Minister's comments will be seen as the final dismantling of the policy laid down by Tony Blair in his now infamous 1999 Chicago address, which sowed the seed of British involvement in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

David Cameron continued the approach by intervening in Libya to help topple Colonel Gaddafi - a move which plunged the country into civil war and chaos. Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya are all still hotbeds for Islamic terrorism.

In her speech, May referred several times to Republican President Reagan and Conservative Prime Minister Thatcher - politicians from very different backgrounds who forged an alliance that helped transform their parties, and the world.