Trump asked why Boris Johnson didn’t become prime minister in May at first meeting, says book |
his first white house meeting Along with major foreign leaders, Donald Trump asked Theresa May, “Why won’t Boris Johnson become prime minister? Didn’t he want the job?”
At the time, Johnson was notorious for being an ambitious man. foreign secretaryHe became prime minister two years later in 2019. resignation.
May’s responses to non-diplomatic questions are not recorded in Confidence Man: The Making of. donald trump The Breaking of America, a new book by New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, is out next week. The Guardian obtained a copy.
Haberman’s long-awaited book has been followed extensively. The sensational stories revealed include Trump’s alarming case of racism and transphobia and his attempt to order the bombing of a drug lab in Mexico.
The Trump presidency began, progressed and ended in turmoil, but January 2017, May in the UK, was seen as accomplished. significant diplomatic success as the first foreign leader visit Trump in the White House.
“As of May, it was impossible to get Trump to focus on any issue,” Haberman reported, citing “detailed notes of the discussion.”
Haberman wrote that the new president boasted about the White House, talking about both the size of the inaugural crowd and the women’s march, a massive nationwide protest against him.
Trump also addressed May in a discourse on abortion, a highly divisive issue in the US but less so in the UK.
“Abortion is a very difficult issue,” Trump said, unprompted. “Some stand for life, some stand for choice. Imagine an animal with a tattoo raping your daughter and she got pregnant.”
Haberman said Trump pointed to Vice President Mike Pence and said, “He’s really tough on abortions,” and asked May, “Was she on life support?” It is said that
Again, May’s reaction was not reported.
Trump then asked about Johnson. The former mayor of London’s ambitions for prime minister were well known. The defection of a major ally, Michael Govetorpedoed his hopes of succeeding David Cameron after the 2016 Brexit vote, effectively handing over the job in May.
Trump told the prime minister that he could not pursue such a course, even though it sounded like he had the title of a famous book about Abraham Lincoln’s Cabinet, “Team of Rivals.”
“John Kasich wanted to work for me after the election and I couldn’t do it,” Trump said, referring to the former Ohio governor who has opposed him since 2016.
Herberman said Northern Ireland was also discussed, but Trump “seemed bored” and instead spoke of an offshore wind farm near a golf course in Scotland.
He also reportedly criticized European leaders, asking whether immigration was a major factor in the Brexit vote.
“Crime is soaring in Germany,” Trump said in May, raising the issue of rape again, claiming “women are being raped everywhere,” and German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that year’s I predicted that I would lose the election.
In this case, Prime Minister May’s reaction has been reported. Habermann said the chancellor was “contradictory” to Mr Trump, saying “Mr Merkel is, in fact, the best politician in Europe”.
Elsewhere, Haberman report That Trump called Merkel “that bitch.”
In the Oval Office, Haberman said May shifted focus to “one of the main concerns of the conversation: sanctions against Russia and whether Trump plans to discuss them.” [Vladimir] Putin ”.
After being told by aides that he was due to speak to the Russian president the next day, Trump complained he hadn’t done it yet, citing Russia’s nuclear arsenal as saying, “I need to talk to this guy… this is in the Congo.” No,’ he said.
Haberman also reports what happened when the president and prime minister left the Oval Office and stepped into the colonnades of the White House.
The move caused controversy.Quote Guardian ReportHaberman speaks of the prime minister’s “bewilderment” and calling on her husband to “explain why she was holding another man’s hand.”
“He just grabbed it,” May told the aide. “What can I do?”
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/sep/29/trump-theresa-may-boris-johnson-maggie-haberman-book Trump asked why Boris Johnson didn’t become prime minister in May at first meeting, says book |