Trump on Starmer: ‘I actually think he’s very nice’
Spectator (UK)Sep 18
Donald Trump Meets With UK PM Keir Starmer
Above: Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Johnny Mercer Theatre on September 24, 2024 in Savannah, Georgia. Image copyright: Brandon Bell/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Former US President and 2024 Republican nominee Donald Trump met with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy for a two-hour dinner on Thursday in New York.
Speaking before the meeting, Starmer stated his intent to "establish a relationship" between himself and Trump and claimed to be a "great believer in personal relationships on the world stage."
The Spin
Right narrative
Given the history of the Labour Party's lengthy criticism of Trump, it is likely that Thursday's meeting was a tense affair despite the public niceties. Now required to act as the UK government is expected to do toward its most important ally, Starmer, Lammy, and his Labour colleagues may begin to regret their prior holier-than-thou grandstanding from the opposition benches and should feel extremely lucky that Trump seems willing to put past comments to bed.
Left narrative
While the importance of a working US-UK relationship is well understood, questions must be asked of Starmer and Labour's inability to stand up against a reprehensible individual who continues to undermine the core values of equality and democracy. The prime minister's decision to cozy up to a serial criminal is one that will leave many feeling disheartened and uncomfortable.