Trump shoots diplomatic backflip, praising Mai after barbs



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ELLESBOROUGH, England (AP) – President Donald Trump made a diplomatic comeback on Friday, turning to trade, Brexit, and critical appraisal of British Prime Minister Theresa May, while insisting that US-US relations British "A few days after throwing thunder to his British hosts, Trump was on his best behavior as he ended his tumultuous two-day visit to the UK through Windsor Castle for tea with the Queen

The United Kingdom was overshadowed by massive protests and an explosive interview in The Sun in which he castigated May, accusing the Mayor of London of terrorist attacks against the city and claiming that Europe "Lost his culture" because of immigration

. He prides himself for not saying that he was sorry to have backtracked at a conference of May press by finding ways to blame his favorite sheet for any perceived friction with May, which he lavished with praise after questioning his leadership

. "I have not criticized the Prime Minister, I have a lot of respect for the Prime Minister," Trump said. He blamed the newspaper for ignoring his May praise in an article published Thursday at the time the Prime Minister was hosting Trump at an opulent welcome dinner in a country palace.

The president then urged reporters to listen to recording of the interview, which he said would give a complete picture. But the audio was already posted on The Sun's website and undermined Trump's claim that he would support it.

The interview was the last violation of Trump's diplomatic protocol, whose predecessors tended to avoid criticizing their foreign hosts. And this comes at a dangerous time for the month of May, which the government is wavering amid contentious negotiations over the UK's exit from the European Union

"I think the deal will not It's not what people voted on. " Trump said in the interview. He also hailed one of May's political rivals, former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. He furiously pulled back Friday's comments, saying Brexit negotiations in May: "All you're going to do is agree with us, just make sure we can trade together." That's all that matters. "

praised the strength of the United States-UK obligation.But in a gentle rebuke, he said:" It is our responsibility to ensure that the transatlantic unit hard. "

As for her relationship with Trump, she said:" We are friends. "

Trump was greeted by massive protests across Britain, including tens of thousands of protesters who filled the streets of London next to a giant balloon that flew over Parliament on Friday portraying him as an angry baby wearing a cell phone in a diaper. A conference of Checkers, the official May campaign house Trump blamed his predecessor for Russian aggression in Crimea, placed fair trade at the center of British efforts to leave the European Union, defended his beliefs "whose coverage was deemed critical

The press conference has a scene in itself, featuring the moos of cows in the distance at the end. Trump sometimes laughed at some British journalists, who mocked his media criticism and laughed openly at his many boastings.

Interviewed before he left Brussels for the UK, Trump accused May of ruining what his country has to gain from his Brexit vote to leave the European Union. He said his former foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, would make an "excellent" prime minister, speaking a few days after Johnson resigned from his stance to protest against Brexit's May plans.

Trump added future transactions with the EU would likely "kill" all future trade deals with the United States.

"If they enter into an agreement like this, we will deal with the European Union instead of dealing with the United Kingdom." Trump, who linked his own election to the June 2016 referendum in which a slim majority of British voters have argued to leave the EU, complained, "The agreement that she strikes is a lot

He also told the tabloid that he had shared advice with May during Britain's negotiations with the EU and she ignored it.

Tens of thousands of people gathered in London for a series of demonstrations against the president The nt tour The marchers gathered near the BBC headquarters in central London before crossing the center of town to get to Parliament – where earlier the 20-foot airship flew to above the head

A sign read: "Trump wears bad suits lleas, "while another proclaimed" Overcomb Brexit ". A man was selling Trump toilet paper rolls with a picture of the chair. Other protests are planned in Windsor, where the Trumps will meet the Queen later, and in Scotland, where the president plans to spend the weekend on one of his golf courses.

"I suppose they put blimps to make me feel I have no reason to go to London," he told The Sun, which belongs to his ally media, Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox News in the United States.

Trump traveled by helicopter to avoid protests in central London. The police worked overtime, his days off were canceled.

Trump admitted to being badly received in the city, and partly blamed Mayor Sadiq Khan, who gave the protestors permission to steal the Trump balloon. Trump also blamed the recent terrorist attacks on Khan, who is Muslim. The president claimed that Europe "loses its culture" because of immigration from the Middle East and Africa.

"Allowing immigration to take place in Europe is a sham," he said. "I think this has changed the fabric of Europe and, unless you act very quickly, it will never be what it was and I do not say it d & # 39; a positive way. "

Khan, whose grandparents are from Pakistan in questioning why Trump has repeatedly chosen to criticize him.

"Paris, Nice, Brussels, Berlin The cities of America have all suffered terrorist attacks," Khan told Britain's Sky News channel. "And it's for President Trump to explain why he's chosen me as the mayor of London and not the mayors of other cities and the heads of other cities."

Contrary to the president's sharp words, Trump was greeted at a number of opulent events, including an audience with Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle later on Friday. And his first event in England was an oasis of warm greetings at an evening reception on Thursday at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, the UK's greatest leader whom the president cited as a model of leadership. .

at the palace in May, whose government was shaken by resignations from the ongoing tumult on Brexit. As for Johnson, who was recently dismissed, Trump said, "I think he would be a great prime minister, I think he has what it takes." He added, "I think he's a great representative for your country."

Trump arrived in Britain on Thursday after setting off a NATO summit with complaints about the military alliance.

During his 28 hours, Trump denigrated NATO. allies, questioned his commitment to the mutual defense organization and sent the 29-member pact in a frenetic emergency session. He said the alliance was a "refined machine" that had acceded to his demands to speed up military spending increases to relieve pressure on the US budget. But there was little evidence that they had bent to his wishes on this front.

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Associate press writers Zeke Miller, Darlene Superville and Ken Thomas in Washington contributed to this report.

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Follow Colvin and Lemire on Twitter at https://twitter.com/colvinj and https://twitter.com/JonLemire

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