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13th Jul 2018

Donald Trump accuses The Sun of “fake news” in press conference alongside Theresa May

James Dawson

It comes after he gave an interview with the Murdoch-owned paper in which he criticised Theresa May’s Brexit strategy and described Boris Johnson as a “future prime minister”

Donald Trump has backtracked on his criticism of Theresa May’s Brexit strategy and accused The Sun of “fake news” after the newspaper published a “world exclusive” interview with him which he claims withheld his positive comments about the prime minister.

Speaking alongside Theresa May at Chequers, the president said: “I didn’t criticise the prime minister, I have a lot of respect for the prime minister.”

Trump had used his interview with The Sun to criticise the PM’s plans for Brexit and the increasing likelihood of the UK keeping its customs borders open with the EU. Responding to this, he told The Sun: “If they do a deal like that, we would be dealing with the European Union instead of dealing with the UK, so it will probably kill the deal.

“If they do that, then their trade deal with the US will probably not be made.”

Trump said the interview left out his praise of May and that his staff had taken their own recording of the interview that would show he talked about the PM in a more positive light. “It’s called fake news and we solve a lot of problems with the good old recording instrument,” he said.

The president had also insisted in The Sun interview that Boris Johnson would make a good prime minister, something he continued to repeat despite being at Theresa May’s side. “Boris Johnson I think would be a great prime minister,” he said. Adding: “I also said this ‘incredible woman’ Theresa May is doing a ‘fantastic job.'”

The press conference comes as tens of thousands marched in London in protest against Donald Trump’s four-day “working visit” to the UK. This morning a 20-foot-tall “Trump Baby” blimp was flown above Parliament Square with Trump responding to the inflatable and saying it made him feel “unwelcome” in London.