Key facts
- Donald Trump stated US-UK relations are better with Andy Burnham than with Keir Starmer.
- Trump praised Burnham as a "natural businessperson" and a potential "great" prime minister.
- Burnham planned to urge Trump to de-escalate the Iran conflict.
- Trump dismissed AI existential threat warnings as a "hoax" and opposed regulation.
- Trump criticized the UK's Chagos Islands deal with Mauritius.
- Trump agreed to raise the case of Jimmy Lai with China's Xi Jinping.
Donald Trump asserted that US-UK relations are stronger under Andy Burnham than they were under Keir Starmer, despite significant disagreements on issues including artificial intelligence regulation, the Chagos Islands, and the conflict in Iran. The two leaders held their first face-to-face meeting at the UN General Assembly in New York.
Trump praised Burnham as a "natural businessperson" and a potential "great" prime minister. Burnham, accompanied by Ed Miliband and Jonathan Powell, expressed that he and Trump had built on an early "good connection" to strengthen relations strained by the Iran conflict.
Burnham intended to urge Trump to de-escalate the Iran conflict, which has contributed to rising global energy prices and pressure on the UK economy. Trump, however, reiterated his threat to "annihilate" Iran if they did not agree to a peace deal, stating that prices would decrease once the war concluded.
On artificial intelligence, Trump dismissed concerns about its existential threat as a "hoax" and vowed to encourage its growth rather than impose regulations, contrasting with Burnham's aim for global AI principles and standards. Burnham also faced pressure to support an initiative requiring AI models to undergo safety testing before commercial release.
Trump also criticized the UK's deal to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining a lease on the Diego Garcia military base, suggesting Burnham might reconsider it. He declined to comment on the UK's ban on trade with West Bank settlements.
Additionally, Trump reportedly agreed to Burnham's request to discuss the case of imprisoned Hong Kong dissident Jimmy Lai with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump also commented on his White House press access policy and promised a swift resolution to the Ukraine-Russia war, warning the UK's rhetoric towards Moscow was "too tough."
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in a separate speech, warned about deepening geopolitical divides, intensifying inequalities, and the rapid advancement of AI, offering a different perspective on global challenges.