Trump goes back on his criticisms against May

Adepts of the permanent "coup de theater", US President Donald Trump assured at a press conference this Friday not to have criticized the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, in an interview granted to Sun a British tabloid, published in the night. This interview had sparked a heated controversy across the Channel, where even opposition MPs had lined up behind the prime minister.

As a direct result of this turnaround: the pound sterling rose against the euro and against the dollar. Around 13:30 GMT, the British currency was worth 1.3167 dollars, against 1.3103 a little earlier in the day, and the euro was worth 88.40 pence, against 88.63 a few hours earlier. Compared with the closing on Thursday night, the pound still remains down against the dollar and is stable against the euro.

Regarding the exit plan of the European Union presented the day before by the British government, the President of the United States pointed out that "whatever you do, it suits me". He seemed to contradict his comments earlier in the press where he had assured that the current plan of Theresa May, which favors the maintenance of a close relationship with the European Union, "will probably kill" the possibility of concluding a free trade agreement with the United States. "We have agreed today that when the UK leaves the European Union, we will seek a free trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the United States," said Theresa May.

The possibility for the United Kingdom to negotiate its own agreements, particularly with the United States, has been regularly invoked by supporters of a divorce from the European Union. Earlier in the day, Commerzbank analysts had been expecting "turbulence" on the pound as it faced "headwinds," because of Donald Trump's comments. The president and his wife are then expected at the Windsor Palace, about thirty kilometers west of London, to have tea with Elizabeth II.

Back on a heated controversy in the UK

"Where are your good manners, Mr. Trump?" It was with a tweet that the Minister of Education, Sam Gymiah, summed up the amazement of the British government after the statements of the American president to the tabloid The Sun published this Friday morning. Although on an official visit to British soil, Donald Trump had torpedo Theresa May's plan for a commercial relationship with the European Union after Brexit: "If they make such an agreement, we will deal with the European Union at instead of dealing with the United Kingdom ". The British plan proposed in Brussels provides for the maintenance of close links with the EU in the area of ​​trade. But the Premier also expected to take advantage of Trump's visit to advance talks on a free trade agreement with Washington, after his country left the EU in late March 2019.

This week, the American had made a first blow to Theresa May's "Sweet Brexit" project, saying "do not know" if it matched the British vote to leave the EU. Nor did he rule out meeting his "friend" Boris Johnson, a supporter of a tough Brexit, who slammed the door of the government earlier this week to protest against Theresa May's plan, which he said would a "great prime minister". On Friday – earlier before his press conference – and to calm the game, the US president assured that the relationship with British Prime Minister Theresa May was "very very solid," despite attacks in the press. "The relationship is very very strong, we have an excellent relationship," he said, sitting next to her at the British Prime Ministers' campaign residence at Checkers.

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The solidarity workers of Theresa May, the divided conservatives

Before the press conference of this Friday, the various exits of the American had put in agitation the British political class. The eurosceptic Jacob Rees Mogg, a fierce Brexit supporter and opponent of the government line, was one of the few to find nothing to say about Donald Trump. "It's a matter of US foreign policy," he commented on the BBC. "What Mr. Trump is saying is that if the United Kingdom persists on this line, the chances of getting a trade deal with the United States are very low." Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston, however, said, "If adopting Trump's worldview is the price to pay for an agreement, it's not worth the price." His colleague Anna Soubry said that "the more Donald Trump insults Theresa May, the more it reinforces the credibility" of the prime minister. Even Labor MP Emily Thorneberry, a fierce critic of the government, sided with Theresa May and condemned the words of the White House tenant. Others have also attacked Donald Trump about his views on security. Labor MP David Lammy defended London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who was questioned by Donald Trump, who said he was doing "a terrible job on terrorism". "The reason why Trump attacks my friend Sadiq Khan for last year's attacks is simple. He hates that London has chosen a Muslim mayor. He is a racist president, "he tweeted.

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An interview following a hearty dinner

In Washington, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders attempted Thursday night to minimize the impact of the US President's statements in Washington. assuring that Donald Trump "loves and respects a lot" Theresa May, since, she added to the press, "he said in his interview that she was a very good person and he never said anything of evil against him. " The release of Donald Trump in The Sun however, is a slap all the more scathing for the occupant of 10 Downing Street that yesterday Thursday night, she touted the strength of the transatlantic link, seeing an opportunity "unprecedented". The United States and the United Kingdom are not only "the closest allies, but also the most dear friends," she declared, welcoming the American president and his wife Melania for dinner in Blenheim, a country residence. near Oxford, where many representatives of the economic world were also invited. The protests of the American president had an impact on the financial markets.

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For Le Drian, the British must react

Seen from abroad, the official visit of Donald Trump in Britain takes tragi-comic accents, between protests, clumsy attempts of seduction by the government and abrupt comments from the US president. In France, the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian, questioned this Friday morning by Jean-Jacques Bourdin on BFM TV and RMC, was not surprised by the thunderous declarations and the lack of diplomacy of the resident of the White House: "Trump is consistent: for him, only the balance of power pays". On the clash with the EU, the minister wanted to show determination: "he [Trump] takes initiatives that aim to destabilize the European Union. But Europe can not be destabilized. Finally, on the specific case of the Brexit project and the putting under pressure of Theresa May by Donald Trump, Jean-Yves Le Drian commented soberly: "the British must react."

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