President Trump, meeting with UK prime minister in Hamburg, promises a long-anticipated visit.
HAMBURG — President Trump promised a long-awaited visit to London, telling U. K. Prime Minister Theresa May Saturday it was just a matter of arranging a date.
« I will be going to London, » Trump declared during a meeting in Hamburg, where he attended the G-20 summit.
A visit to the United Kingdom is hardly an optional stop for a new president, given the close alliance dubbed by presidents and prime ministers alike as the « special relationship. »
But Trump has been reluctant to schedule the trip in part because of threat of protests — especially in London, where Mayor Sadiq Khan has been a vociferous Trump critic.
Trump has made a trade agreement with the U. K. a higher priority, partly as a show of solidarity for British voters who chose to exit the European Union last year.
The Obama administration had chosen to put a European trade deal ahead of one with the U. K. But Trump said Saturday that a U. S.-U. K. agreement will be « done very quickly. »
« There’s no country that could possibly be closer than our countries, for a long time, » Trump said. « Prime Minister May and I have developed a very special relationship. »
Later, in response to an entreaty by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Trump said he’d also like to visit that country.
« We’ll get there, » Trump said. « It’s a place I’d like to go. »
Widodo seemed to be satisfied with the answer. « I can get into serious trouble if I don’t bring back some good news for your millions of fans in Indonesia, » he said.
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