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Friday, Mar 14, 2025
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Trump and Starmer Arrange Meeting Following Impromptu Call
US President Donald Trump and UK Labour leader Keir Starmer discuss potential collaboration in a surprise phone call.
On Thursday evening, US President Donald Trump had an unexpected phone conversation with UK Labour leader Keir Starmer, as reported in a statement from Downing Street.
The call occurred during Starmer's meeting with Mark Burnett, a television producer whom Trump appointed as his special envoy to the UK.
The Downing Street statement mentioned that during the call, Starmer discussed his upcoming visit to the United States with Trump.
While further details were not provided, a source from Number 10 characterized the call as "impromptu" and noted that it was not anticipated by Starmer's team.
It has been confirmed that Trump was aware of the meeting and directed an assistant to place the call to Starmer's mobile phone while he was at the dinner table with Burnett and others.
The US embassy in the UK shared a photograph of Starmer on the call, stating, "During the dinner @POTUS called his Envoy, who passed the phone to the PM."
After the call, President Trump addressed reporters at the White House, stating, "He asked for a meeting and I agreed to the meeting; we’re going to have a friendly meeting, very good.
We have a lot of good things going on.
But he asked to come and see me and I just accepted his asking." When queried about a potential date for their meeting, Trump suggested it would occur "very soon," indicating Starmer was interested in visiting either the following week or the week after.
This call highlights Trump's unconventional approach to diplomacy.
It is believed that the discussion was brief and primarily centered on Starmer's aspirations for a formal meeting with Trump during his visit to the US. Downing Street views the relationship as potentially beneficial, especially concerning trade relations, as Starmer's positive engagement with Trump might help the UK mitigate tariffs or other penalties from the US administration.
Mark Burnett was appointed as Trump's envoy to the UK in December 2022. He is known for producing several successful television series, including 'The Apprentice,' which has been credited with enhancing Trump's public profile prior to his political career.
The Downing Street statement noted that during Starmer's meeting with Burnett, they acknowledged the special nature of the UK-US relationship, emphasizing the strength of their alliance and expressing intent to enhance cooperation in trade, technology, and cultural areas.
The call occurred during Starmer's meeting with Mark Burnett, a television producer whom Trump appointed as his special envoy to the UK.
The Downing Street statement mentioned that during the call, Starmer discussed his upcoming visit to the United States with Trump.
While further details were not provided, a source from Number 10 characterized the call as "impromptu" and noted that it was not anticipated by Starmer's team.
It has been confirmed that Trump was aware of the meeting and directed an assistant to place the call to Starmer's mobile phone while he was at the dinner table with Burnett and others.
The US embassy in the UK shared a photograph of Starmer on the call, stating, "During the dinner @POTUS called his Envoy, who passed the phone to the PM."
After the call, President Trump addressed reporters at the White House, stating, "He asked for a meeting and I agreed to the meeting; we’re going to have a friendly meeting, very good.
We have a lot of good things going on.
But he asked to come and see me and I just accepted his asking." When queried about a potential date for their meeting, Trump suggested it would occur "very soon," indicating Starmer was interested in visiting either the following week or the week after.
This call highlights Trump's unconventional approach to diplomacy.
It is believed that the discussion was brief and primarily centered on Starmer's aspirations for a formal meeting with Trump during his visit to the US. Downing Street views the relationship as potentially beneficial, especially concerning trade relations, as Starmer's positive engagement with Trump might help the UK mitigate tariffs or other penalties from the US administration.
Mark Burnett was appointed as Trump's envoy to the UK in December 2022. He is known for producing several successful television series, including 'The Apprentice,' which has been credited with enhancing Trump's public profile prior to his political career.
The Downing Street statement noted that during Starmer's meeting with Burnett, they acknowledged the special nature of the UK-US relationship, emphasizing the strength of their alliance and expressing intent to enhance cooperation in trade, technology, and cultural areas.
