U.S. President Donald Trump has intensified his criticisms of the British political scene, launching a direct attack on Andy Burnham, a leading candidate to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Trump described Burnham as "too liberal," suggesting his potential policies would not support the resumption of oil exploration in the North Sea.
Speaking to reporters in Washington, Trump said Britain is going through a tough phase. He added that Burnham's potential rise to the premiership could complicate relations between London and Washington, citing previous instances where the British politician criticized the U.S. president and his policies.
Trump's remarks came during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. In this setting, Trump renewed his criticisms of European allies, expressing dissatisfaction with what he called the weak support European countries provided to the United States during its standoff with Iran. He emphasized that the U.S. felt "let down" by several European partners.
For his part, Rutte stated that European countries had significantly increased their defense spending and that NATO provided vital logistical support during the crisis. Nonetheless, Trump was unconvinced by these explanations, insisting that the level of support was not up to expectations, despite expressing commendation for Rutte's leadership of the alliance.