President Trump defended his support Sunday night for Boris Johnson to become leader of the Conservative Party and the United Kingdom’s next prime minister, as the U.S. leader departed for a three-day visit to Britain.

“People ask me questions,” Mr. Trump said, referring to interviews with British newspapers. “Don’t ask me the question if you don’t want me to talk about it.”

Mr. Trump told the Sun newspaper that Mr. Johnson, the former foreign secretary, would be an “excellent” choice to replace outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May. She is stepping down June 7 after failing to devise a successful “Brexit” plan for leaving the European Union.

U.K. opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, who leads the Labor Party in Parliament, said Mr. Trump’s comments about Mr. Johnson were an “unacceptable interference” in Britain’s affairs.

The president and first lady Melania Trump are visiting Britain, France and Ireland this week, primarily to mark the 75th anniversary of the allied D-Day invasion of Normandy during World War II.

Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters

Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.