WATCH: Donald Trump hits out at Government Brexit plans in major blow to Theresa May
2 min read
Donald Trump has suggested that Theresa May's Brexit vision is not "what people voted for" in the EU referendum.
In a major blow for the Prime Minister, the US President said the plans set out by the Government meant "getting at least partially involved back with the EU".
His comments, ahead of his first trip to the UK since entering the White House, will be welcomed by Tory Brexiteers, who have accused Mrs May of making too many concessions to Brussels.
President Trump's remarks threatened to completely overshadow the publication of the Government's Brexit white paper fleshing out what the Cabinet agreed at Chequers last week.
Speaking a press conference following the Nato summit in Brussels, he said: "I've been reading a lot about Brexit over the last couple of days and it seems to be turning a little bit differently, where they're getting at least partially involved back with the EU.
"The people voted to break it up, so I would imagine that's what they want. But maybe they're trying a bit of a different route - I don't know if that's what people voted for."
The maverick Republican - who lands in Britain this afternoon ahead for a four-day visit - also took a swipe at the political chaos which has engulfed Mrs May following the resignations of David Davis and Boris Johnson from the Cabinet.
He said: "I am going to a few hot spots, first we had Nato, then we have the UK and then we have Putin. And I said Putin maybe the easiest of them all. You never know.
"I am going to a pretty hot spot right now with a lot of resignations."
WHITE PAPER
The 100-page White Paper, called 'The Future Relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union', was finally published on Thursday.
Under the Government's proposal, the UK and EU would agree a "common rule book" on regulations, enter into a free trade area for goods and strike a so-called "facilitated customs arrangement" with Brussels in order to avoid a hard border in Ireland.
Dominic Raab, who took over from David Davis as Brexit Secretary, said it set out "a comprehensive vision for the future relationship" between Britain and Brussels.
But Brexiteer Tory MPs, led by Jacob Rees Mogg, have vowed to vote down the customs plans and have tabled amendments to the Trade Bill due in the Commons next week in a bid to force Mrs May's hand.
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