Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer have been clearly on a mission to make one another’s lives simpler at their joint press convention on Thursday.
Despite loads of thorny subjects threatening to forged a cloud over an in any other case profitable state go to, each steered away from sticking the boot in regardless of difficult questions being requested.
From Lord Mandelson’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Russia, The Independent runs you thru the important thing takeaways after the pair’s media grilling.
Jeffrey Epstein
Perhaps the largest danger for Sir Keir and Mr Trump was the scandal round Lord Mandelson’s ties to the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The US president has his personal historic hyperlinks to the financier, and Sir Keir final week fired his ambassador to Washington over a sequence of emails he had exchanged with Epstein.
Sky’s Beth Rigby was the one journalist to broach the subject, and Mr Trump dismissed the query by merely saying: “I don’t know him… I had heard that and perhaps the prime minister could be higher at talking of that.” It comes regardless of the pair being pictured holding palms within the Oval Office lower than six months in the past.
Sir Keir repeated his well-worn line that “info got here to gentle” after Lord Mandelson’s appointment that compelled him to sack his former Trump-whisperer.
Disagreement over Palestinian statehood
In what was the one overtly acknowledged disagreement between the pair on Thursday, Mr Trump mentioned he opposes Sir Keir’s plan to recognise a Palestinian state.
The prime minister mentioned the timing of the choice, anticipated within the coming days, was nothing to do with the tip of the state go to.
But, requested in regards to the transfer, Mr Trump mentioned: “I’ve a disagreement with the prime minister on that rating, certainly one of our few disagreements really.”
Mr Trump mentioned his focus was as a substitute on securing the discharge of Israeli hostages nonetheless held by Hamas.
Sir Keir confirmed they’d mentioned his plans and that recognition of a Palestinian state could be “a part of that total package deal which hopefully takes us from the appalling state of affairs we’re in now to the result of a protected and safe Israel, which we don’t have, and a viable Palestinian state”.
He additionally described Hamas as terrorists, prompting Mr Trump to offer Sir Keir a supportive and exaggerated pat on the again.
Small boats
In one other headline-grabbing second, Mr Trump was requested to offer Sir Keir recommendation on tips on how to replicate his success in limiting the variety of migrants getting into the US through irregular routes.
The US president mentioned unlawful migration can “destroy” nations and urged the prime minister to get the army concerned. The recommendation got here on the identical day that the federal government introduced it had despatched again the primary migrant to France underneath the one-in-one-out deal.
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“What I noticed taking place, with hundreds of thousands of individuals pouring into our nation, I could not stand to observe it, and we have performed an important job,” Mr Trump advised Sir Keir.
He added: “I believe your state of affairs could be very related. You have individuals coming in and I advised the prime minister I might cease it, and it would not matter in the event you name out the army, it would not matter what means you utilize.
“It destroys nations from inside and we’re really now eradicating numerous the folks that got here into our nation.”
Putin let Trump down
Mr Trump additionally lashed out at Vladimir Putin, saying he felt “actually let down” by the Russian despot.
The president mentioned he thought Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could be the best battle for him to resolve, given his robust relationship with the dictator.
But a peace deal has stalled, and Russia’s killing of Ukrainian civilians continues.
“He’s let me down,” Mr Trump mentioned, when requested in regards to the ongoing warfare.
He mentioned: “I’m very honoured to inform you that we have solved seven wars, seven wars, wars that have been unsolvable, wars that could not be negotiated or performed, the US has performed seven of them.
“The one which I assumed could be best could be due to my relationship with President Putin, however he is let me down.”
But Mr Trump mentioned he doesn’t remorse assembly Putin in Alaska, including that Russia will ultimately be compelled to “drop out” of the warfare if sanctions mount.
Free speech
As was anticipated, Sir Keir was requested about free speech within the UK and whether or not it’s underneath menace.
Tensions have mounted between the PM and the Trump administration over points such because the Online Safety Act.
Sir Keir mentioned: “Free speech is without doubt one of the founding values of the United Kingdom, and we defend it jealously and fiercely and at all times will. And we’ll bear down on any limits of free speech.
“I draw a restrict between free speech and the speech of people who wish to peddle paedophilia and suicide (on) social media to youngsters.
“And subsequently I’m all at no cost speech, I’m additionally for shielding youngsters from issues that may hurt them: paedophiles, people who peddle suicide, which has had a horrible consequence for particular person, significantly youngsters. And so that is the stability we strike.”
For his half, Mr Trump claimed the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night speak present was as a result of he “is just not a gifted particular person and had unhealthy scores”. The president mentioned it isn’t a free speech subject and that Mr Kimmel was “fired for a scarcity of expertise”.
Windmills
Another basic of Mr Trump’s press conferences is the US president taking intention at wind farms.
Wind energy is a “very costly joke”, he mentioned on Thursday alongside Sir Keir, praising the North Sea’s oil as “phenomenal”.
He mentioned: “You have an important asset right here we spoke about, it is known as the North Sea. The North Sea oil is phenomenal. And I hope, as a result of I really like this nation.
“You know, my mom was born in Scotland … and I need this nation to do effectively. And you’ve nice property that you’ll begin utilizing, I consider, underneath this prime minister, thanks.
Sir Keir mentioned that oil and gasoline might be “a part of the combination” for a few years to return, however that funding in renewables was additionally wanted.
“It’s the combination that’s actually vital. And the method I’ve taken on this is similar method that I say to many different issues, a practical method,” the PM added.
