Donald Trump won't intervene in UK election after request from Boris Johnson
2 min read
Donald Trump has agreed not to interfere in the general election when he visits the UK next week after a plea from Boris Johnson.
Asked whether he would “welcome” Mr Trump’s support, Mr Johnson told LBC radio: “We have very close friendships and relationships with the United States at every level of government, but what we don’t do traditionally as loving allies and friends is get involved in each other’s election campaigns."
The US president will be in London for the Nato leaders’ summit just nine days before Britain goes to the polls on 12 Dec, but he isn’t scheduled to have a one-on-one meeting with the Prime Minister, according to the White House.
He has also agreed not to wade into the UK poll.
A senior US official told reporters: "He [the president] is well aware of this. He also likes Prime Minister Boris Johnson personally, but he’s absolutely cognisant of not wading into other country's elections.”
Mr Trump has previously commented that Jeremy Corbyn “would be so bad” for the UK but he described his “friend” Boris Johnson is “the exact right guy for the times”.
Asked about the comments, the Prime Minister said, “When you have close friends and allies like the US and the UK, the best thing is for neither side to get involved in each other's election campaign.”
There appears not to have been a formal request from Downing Street asking Mr Trump to stay away from the election campaign, according to The Telegraph.
However, when asked whether the lack of a meeting with the Prime Minister was related to Mr Johnson’s urge for the President to steer clear of UK politics, the senior US official said “that’s something we’re still working on".
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