With the presidential team seemingly advocating British “regime change” and Trump ally Elon Musk calling for Starmer to be jailed, Trump’s comments to the BBC praising Starmer surprised many. Does Trump want a closer relationship to Britain?
Since Trump’s victory, British-American diplomacy has largely consisted of British attempts to downplay increasingly less veiled insults. From JD Vance jokingly calling the UK an ‘Islamist’ country to Elon Musk’s threats to ‘liberate’ the UK, anti-British rhetoric within the Trump administration has increasingly escalated.
Starmer has reportedly “replaced Trudeau” as the foreign punching bag for Trump’s team.
It’s within this context that Trump’s role as a diplomatic voice has been so surprising. Last Sunday, Trump commented to the BBC that Starmer had done a “very good job”. Showcasing the conciliatory rhetoric that the President is famed for, he went on: “I may not agree with his philosophy, but I have a very good relationship with him.”
Does Trump’s comments represent a genuine shift in relations?
Theresa and Trump: Diplomacy in the First Trump Administration
Despite both being conservatives, Theresa May and Donald Trump had a shaky relationship.
Despite (or likely because of) Theresa May’s desire for an American trade deal, Trump was highly allusive, alternating between uncritical support for Brexit and closer trade relations between the UK and the US to ruling one out completely. Similarly, Trump would flip between lavishing praise on the Prime Minister, to insulting her, to denying that he had done so
Since leaving office, May has strongly criticised the president.
This isn’t the first time that the Trump administration has supported a rightward change in government. Trump repeatedly suggested that Boris Johnson should replace May as Prime Minister, both publicly and privately to May herself. The president’s suggestion that Nigel Farage should become the next US ambassador was also politely declined.
What do Trump’s comments mean?
Trump’s comments were shocking to many. On X (formerly Twitter), many pro-Trump accounts claimed that the quote was fabricated by the BBC, whilst others expressed hope for a warmer relationship.
Whilst many were surprised by these comments, this pattern of verbal denigration followed by praise has been a staple of Trump’s personal diplomacy since the 2016 Republican Primaries. Trump established dominance over the party by publicly humiliating his republican rivals before heaping praise upon them and building them up as allies.
Upon taking office, Trump continued this approach with world leaders, alternating between calling North Korean Supreme Leader ‘short and fat’ and announcing his ‘love’ for him. Trump’s strategy of love bombing is designed to make others feel as though they have some kind of close relationship with the president whilst making them constantly wary of how he could snap back if upset.
Final Thought
Trump is a businessman.
The president has prided himself on being willing and able to make a deal with anyone, including ideological enemies, as long as it advances American interests. Whilst Trump seemingly shares much of the ideological chagrin that Musk has towards the UK, history would indicate that his use of ideology serves more to throw opponents off balance than it is the actual driver of his foreign policy.
Trump’s alternating diplomacy of attacks and praise is nothing new. Trump has repeatedly used this tactic to maximise concessions from others. As was previously analysed by Chamber, the UK government is eager for cooperation on trade and defence.
In a neglected part of his comments to the BBC, Trump was asked whether his first foreign visit would be to the UK. Trump responded by saying “It could be Saudi Arabia, it could be UK”, clarifying that “Last time I went to Saudi Arabia because they agreed to buy $450 billion of American United States merchandise“. Trump has made clear what he wants in return for diplomacy.
Trump’s comments indicate that the president is willing to make deals with the UK, but not that he wants friendship.