Theresa May is set to hold a joint press conference with Donald Trump on Friday during her visit to Washington, the White House has announced.

Ms May left for the United States on Thursday to become the first foreign leader to meet the President.

Speaking ahead of her flight, she said of her future relationship with Mr Trump: “Sometimes opposites attract.”

She will hold talks in the White House with the Republican leader amid criticism over his views on torture.

During his first interview since his presidential inauguration, Mr Trump said he believes torture “absolutely” works and that the US should “fight fire with fire.”

However, Ms May said the UK’s guidance was “very clear” and that the approach towards torture had not changed and would not.

Donald Trump’s press secretary Sean Spicer said the US president would answer reporters’ questions after the pair meet.

The Trump administration has taken a distinctly confrontational approach to press relations, with the real-estate mogul recently attacking reporters as the "the most dishonest human beings on Earth."