British influence in Washington DC has “vanished” following Brexit, the outgoing French ambassador to the US has said.

Gérard Araud said UK diplomats were nowhere to be seen as their home country became increasingly insular and focused on the one issue dominating its politics.

“The UK has vanished,” Mr Araud told the Financial Times newspaper in an interview on the eve of his retirement.

“The British ambassador told me — and I loved it — that every time the British military is meeting with the American military, the Americans are talking about the French.”

The claim comes ahead of a planned state visit by Donald Trump to Britain in June, a diplomatic coup sought by Theresa May.

The prime minister was quick to seek close ties with the Trump administration when she came to office, putting her at odds with UK public opinion, and others including the Speaker of the Commons John Bercow.

But Mr Trump has been a fickle partner. Though the US president has welcomed Brexit and originally said he would offer the UK a “large scale” trade deal after it left, he has since cooled after the shape of the UK’s exit became clear.

In November he embarrassed Ms May by saying her Brexit plan meant the UK may not be able to trade with the US after it left the EU, and that it sounded “great” for the European Union.

The issue of a future US-UK trade deal has also been further complicated by concerns in Britain that the UK might have to water down its safety and environmental standards to meet US demands. This has been expressed through anxiety over so-called chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef.

Trump and Farage - a working friendship Show all 7 1 /7 Trump and Farage - a working friendship Trump and Farage - a working friendship Donald Trump and Nigel Farage pose in the golden elevator at Trump Tower on 12 November 2016, four days after Trump was elected president. Farage was the first British politician to meet with Trump after the election LeaveEUOffical/Twitter Trump and Farage - a working friendship Not long after their meeting at Trump Tower, then-president elect Trump tweeted in favour of Nigel Farage being appointed ambassador to the US Trump and Farage - a working friendship Farage appears at a Trump campaign rally in Jackson, Mississipi on 24 August 2016. Farage drew parallels between the recent vote for Brexit in the UK and a vote for Trump in the US, saying "they could take back control of their country, take back control of their borders and get back their pride and self-respect" Getty Images Trump and Farage - a working friendship Trump introduced Farage as "Mr. Brexit" Getty Images Trump and Farage - a working friendship President Trump with Nigel Farage when they met met face-to-face to discuss why the President should back a no-deal Brexit on 3 March 2019 PA Trump and Farage - a working friendship From left to right: Gerry Gunster (US pollster and campaign adviser to Leave.EU), Arron Banks (Leave.EU founder who is being investigated over the funding of the Brexit campaign), Donald Trump (then president-elect), Nigel Farage (then leader of UKIP), Andy Wigmore (communication director of Leave.EU) and Raheem Kassam (then-advisor to Farage and later UK editor of Breitbart news) Trump and Farage - a working friendship Farage and his adviser Raheem Kassam arrive to meet with Trump on November 12 2016 Getty Images

France has a mixed relationship with the Trump administration. While Mr Trump and Mr Macron have entertained each other as guests on state visits, the US president caused a diplomatic spat in November after he skipped a ceremony marking the centenary of the end of WWII.