From Brexit and Boris to Putin and fake news, US president and Theresa May put on a show of unity after their Chequers meeting

Donald Trump’s press conference with Theresa May at Chequers lasted 50 minutes and took in everything from transatlantic relations to immigration, Boris Johnson, attacks on the media and at least one outright lie by the US president.

On UK-US relations: ‘the highest level of special’

May: “No two countries do more together than ours to keep their people safe and prosperous.”

Trump: “The relationship between our two nations is indispensable to liberty, justice and peace. The traditions of freedom, sovereignty and the true rule of law were our shared gift to the world and we must never cease to be united in their defence and renewal.”

“I would give our relationship with the UK the highest level of special. Am I allowed to go higher than that? I am not sure. It’s the highest level of special. They are very special people, it’s a very special country and as I said, I have a relationship because my mother was born in Scotland.”

Trump leaves London after wreaking diplomatic destruction Read more

On the Sun story and Brexit: ‘it’s called fake news’

Trump: “I didn’t criticise the prime minister. I have a lot of respect for the prime minister. Unfortunately there was a story that was done which was generally fine but it didn’t put in what I said about the prime minister. I said tremendous things. Fortunately we tend to record stories now so we have it for your enjoyment if you’d like it, but we record when we deal with reporters, it’s called fake news, we solve a lot of problems with the good old recording instrument …

“I said very good things about Theresa May. I don’t think they put it in, but that’s all right. I said to Theresa May I wanted to apologise, but she said ‘Don’t worry, it’s only the press’.”

“As far as advice, I did give her a suggestion – I wouldn’t say advice – and I think she found it maybe too brutal. Because I could see that. I don’t know if you remember what I said. I gave her a suggestion, not advice. I wouldn’t want to give her advice. I could fully understand why she thought it was a little bit tough.”



“You can’t walk away because if she walks away then it means she’s stuck. You can’t walk away, but you can do other things. She can do what my suggestion was.”

May: “Lots of people give advice on how to negotiate with the European Union. My job is actually getting out there and doing it.”

“I also want to have a good trade relationship with the European Union. This isn’t an either/or. We don’t just replace one with the other.”

On Boris Johnson: ‘he’ll be a great prime minister’

Trump: “They asked about Boris Johnson, how would he be as a prime minister. I said he’ll be a great prime minister. He’s been very nice to me, he’s been saying very good things about me as president. I think he thinks I’m doing a great job, I am doing a great job, that I can tell you, just in case you haven’t noticed.”

“But Boris Johnson would, I think, be a great prime minister. But I also said that this incredible woman, right here, is doing a fantastic job, a great job. And I mean that.”

On Vladimir Putin and Russia: ‘I’d have a good relationship with him’

May: “In particular, on Russia, I thanked President Trump for his support in responding to the appalling use of a nerve agent in Salisbury, after which he expelled 60 Russian intelligence officers.”



“What is important in meeting with President Putin – and I’ve welcomed the meeting with President Putin – is that the president goes into this, as he is doing, from a position of strength, and also from a position of unity in Nato.”



Trump: “I think I’d have a very good relationship with President Putin if we spent time together. I may be wrong. Other people have said that, it didn’t work out. But I’m different than other people. I think that we’re being hurt very badly by the witch-hunt, I would call it the rigged witch-hunt.”

Play Video 2:53 Key moments from Trump and May's joint press conference – video

On immigration: ‘it has been very bad for Europe’



Trump: “I think it has been very bad for Europe. Europe is a place I know very well and I think that what has happened is very tough. It’s a very tough situation. I mean, you see the same terror attacks that I do. We see them a lot. I just think it’s changing the culture. It’s a very negative thing for Europe. I think it’s very negative ... And I know it’s politically, not necessarily correct, to say that, but I’ll say it and I’ll say it loud.”

May: “The UK has a proud history of welcoming people who are fleeing persecution to our country. We have a proud history of welcoming people to our country to contribute to our economy and contribute to our society. Over the years, overall immigration has been good for the UK. It’s brought people with different backgrounds, different outlooks here to the UK and we’ve seen them contributing to our society and our economy.”



On the US press: ‘CNN is fake news’

Trump (when CNN asks a question): “No, no, John Roberts go ahead. CNN’s fake news, I don’t take questions from CNN. CNN is fake news. I don’t take questions from CNN. John Roberts of Fox. Let’s go to a real network.”

Trump’s false claim he predicted Brexit: ‘I was opening Turnberry’

Trump (who was in Scotland the day after the EU referendum, not the day before): “If you remember I was opening Turnberry the day before Brexit and we had an unbelievably large number of reporters there. Everybody was there, I guess, because of Brexit, and they all showed up on the 9th hole overlooking the ocean, and said, ‘What’s going on?’. All they wanted to talk about was Brexit and they asked for my opinion, and I think you’ll agree that I said I think Brexit will happen and it did happen. And then we cut the ribbon. And the reason I felt it was going to happen was because of immigration.”