Trump Changes Tune on 'Incredible' Theresa May

President also denies he criticized the British prime minister in harsh 'Sun' interview
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 13, 2018 10:33 AM CDT
Trump, Thursday: PM Wrecked Brexit. Trump, Friday: PM 'Incredible Woman'
British Prime Minister Theresa May and President Trump hold a joint press conference at Chequers, in Buckinghamshire, England, on Friday.   (Jack Taylor/Pool Photo via AP)

A "deepening political crisis and diplomatic embarrassment" is how the New York Times frames what British Prime Minister Theresa May was left to deal with Thursday after a scathing Sun interview with President Trump in which he faulted May's handling of Brexit and noted she may have "killed" chances of a free-trade deal with the US. But at a Friday press conference at May's Chequers estate, Trump did a 180, saying US-UK ties were at "the highest level of special" and praising May as an "incredible woman … doing a fantastic job." He also said whatever the UK chooses to do after it ditches the EU is "OK with me, that's their decision." May, for her part, added that the US was "keen" to forge a trade deal with the UK and that her nation would also forge similar deals with "others around the rest of the world," per the BBC.

Trump didn't pass up the opportunity to slam the Sun for "fake news," addressing his criticism of May in that article by saying, "I didn't criticize the prime minister" and lamenting that the Sun neglected to include his praise for May in its "generally fine" story. He said he apologized to May for how the interview came off, to which he said May replied, "Don't worry, it's only the press," the Independent notes. Trump also touched on immigration, saying it's been "very bad for Europe" and is "changing the culture" there, and noted that at his upcoming summit with Vladimir Putin he planned to ask once more about meddling in the 2016 US election. "I will absolutely, firmly ask the question," he said, per Fortune, though he doesn't anticipate a "gotcha" moment with Putin. "There won't be a Perry Mason here, I don't think, but you never know what happens, right?" Watch the press conference here. (More President Trump stories.)

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