U.S. President Donald Trump may visit Britain in May 2019 after the country’s departure in March from the European Union, the U.S. Ambassador to Britain, Woody Johnson, said on Monday.
Asked whether a state visit, promised by Prime Minister Theresa May last year, could be rescheduled to coincide with a commemoration of the end of World War II in May, Johnson told BBC radio: “Between you and me, I think that would be a good time.’’
Trump visited Britain in July and although it was not a formal state visit after wide public protests, he met Queen Elizabeth.
Brexit marks a watershed in Britain’s diplomatic relations with the world as it tries to reshape ties to Europe and bolster its long-standing “special relationship” with the U.S. under Trump’s presidency.
Asked if Trump would like to come again for a state visit, Johnson said: “I would think the President would be in favour of it and looking forward to it because that was mentioned when he was over here.
“So if we can do that, it would be, I think, a big positive.’’
He said a deadlock in Britain’s parliament, which means that it is unclear what shape Brexit will take, meant a solution was necessary.
“The country is in need of leadership.’’
Johnson reiterated Trump’s view that the U.S. was looking forward to a “quick, very massive bilateral trade deal’’ after Brexit.
However, he said that did not “look possible” under the current terms on which Prime Minister Theresa May has agreed to a draft deal to leave the EU.
Trump said in November that May’s deal sounded like it would be good for the EU and cast doubt on how that would affect US-UK trading arrangements.