Theresa May Says She Won't Back Down From Challenging Donald Trump -- Update
January 22 2017 - 12:02PM
Dow Jones News
By Wiktor Szary
LONDON--British Prime Minister Theresa May said Sunday she will
talk about trade and security when she meets with President Donald
Trump this week, but won't be afraid to challenge him on issues she
finds unacceptable.
Mr. Trump will host the British leader at the White House on
Friday, his first meeting with a foreign leader since taking
office. The U.K. and U.S. traditionally have a so-called "special
relationship," with close ties and strong collaboration.
Mrs. May, who is leading her country out of the European Union,
is seeking to strike new trade deals around the world and sees the
relationship with the U.S. as crucial. The American leader says he
is ready to offer a quick agreement, though he has taken a more
hostile view toward multistate deals and argued in favor of
protectionism--describing an "America first" stance in his
inauguration speech.
"We'll have an opportunity to talk about our possible future
trading relationship but also some of the world challenges that we
all face," Mrs. May told the British Broadcasting Corp., citing
terrorism, the Syrian conflict and the importance of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization--which Mr. Trump has called
obsolete--as key examples.
In a Thursday speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos,
Switzerland, Mrs. May implicitly criticized the U.S. leader's
approach to trade, presenting a strong defense of free trade and
globalization.
Mrs. May was also questioned Sunday about remarks Mr. Trump has
made about women that have drawn criticism. When asked if she would
raise the issue with the president, Mrs. May didn't respond
directly. "First of all, I've already said that some of the
comments that Donald Trump has made in relation to women are
unacceptable, some of those he himself has apologized for," she
said.
"When I sit down, I think the biggest statement that will be
made about the role of women is the fact that I will be there as a
female prime minister of the United Kingdom, talking to him,
directly talking to him about the interests that we share."
Pressed on the point, Mrs. May said: "Whenever there is
something that I find unacceptable, I won't be afraid to say that
to Donald Trump."
The prime minister repeatedly refused to say whether she had
known about the reported malfunction of a British unarmed nuclear
test missile off the coast of Florida last year, which came weeks
before lawmakers voted to renew the system. The Sunday Times
reported the missile may have veered off course after being
launched in June from a British submarine.
Mrs. May said she had "absolute faith" in the missiles, adding
they are tested regularly. The Defense Ministry said in a statement
that the effectiveness of the U.K.'s Trident nuclear system was
unquestionable.
Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said the issue
called for a serious discussion. He also said Mrs. May should
remain careful in any trade negotiations with Mr. Trump.
"There were no signs of any special relationship in Donald
Trump's inauguration speech. Quite the opposite, it was 'America
first, America only,'" he said, adding he hoped that the prime
minister would call out the U.S. president on what he described as
"misogyny."
Carol E. Lee in Washington contributed to this article.
Write to Wiktor Szary at Wiktor.Szary@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 22, 2017 11:47 ET (16:47 GMT)
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