This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/27/world/europe/theresa-may-trump.html
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Donald Trump and Theresa May: An Odd Couple | Donald Trump and Theresa May: An Odd Couple |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| LONDON — Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain will meet President Trump on Friday in Washington for what could be an episode of “The Odd Couple”: The Stiff Headmistress meets the Great Salesman. | |
| Reserved, slightly awkward and serious, Mrs. May does not even have a Twitter account and does her best to remain silent on the key issues of the day, putting her head above water only when she must. | Reserved, slightly awkward and serious, Mrs. May does not even have a Twitter account and does her best to remain silent on the key issues of the day, putting her head above water only when she must. |
| Normally, American presidents go on to British leaders about “the special relationship” with a sort of patronizing politeness. But Mr. Trump has already put Mrs. May’s teeth on edge with his cheerful support for a British withdrawal from the European Union, commonly known as Brexit, which she opposed but must carry out. | Normally, American presidents go on to British leaders about “the special relationship” with a sort of patronizing politeness. But Mr. Trump has already put Mrs. May’s teeth on edge with his cheerful support for a British withdrawal from the European Union, commonly known as Brexit, which she opposed but must carry out. |
| She has not appreciated his warm relationship with those like Nigel Farage, the former leader of the anti-immigrant U.K. Independence Party, who despises Mrs. May’s Conservative Party and who Mr. Trump has suggested would make a fine ambassador to the United States. | She has not appreciated his warm relationship with those like Nigel Farage, the former leader of the anti-immigrant U.K. Independence Party, who despises Mrs. May’s Conservative Party and who Mr. Trump has suggested would make a fine ambassador to the United States. |
| Still, with Britain planning to leave the European Union in two years or so, Mrs. May needs to show Britons they have big friends out in the world beyond Europe, and the United States is already Britain’s single largest trading partner, not counting the European Union itself. | Still, with Britain planning to leave the European Union in two years or so, Mrs. May needs to show Britons they have big friends out in the world beyond Europe, and the United States is already Britain’s single largest trading partner, not counting the European Union itself. |
| Having put such store into being the first foreign leader to meet President Trump — Mr. Farage and Arron Banks, UKIP’s main financial backer, have met him several times since the election — Mrs. May is determined to put British-American relations on a more traditional track, as a government-to-government partnership. | Having put such store into being the first foreign leader to meet President Trump — Mr. Farage and Arron Banks, UKIP’s main financial backer, have met him several times since the election — Mrs. May is determined to put British-American relations on a more traditional track, as a government-to-government partnership. |
| But hardly one of equals. Mrs. May “is coming as a supplicant and Trump seems to know this,” Jonathan Freedland, a columnist for The Guardian newspaper, said in an interview. On trade, “she’s eager to do a deal, like a house buyer who has already sold her house and has nowhere to live, and Trump, the real estate man, knows that.” | But hardly one of equals. Mrs. May “is coming as a supplicant and Trump seems to know this,” Jonathan Freedland, a columnist for The Guardian newspaper, said in an interview. On trade, “she’s eager to do a deal, like a house buyer who has already sold her house and has nowhere to live, and Trump, the real estate man, knows that.” |
| Mrs. May, he said, “is the un-Trump.” Even in “the comparably unglitzy realm of British politics, she is unshowy,” he said. Compared with her predecessor, David Cameron, “she is pretty gray and pallid.” Still, he said, “history shows that personal chemistry does matter.” | Mrs. May, he said, “is the un-Trump.” Even in “the comparably unglitzy realm of British politics, she is unshowy,” he said. Compared with her predecessor, David Cameron, “she is pretty gray and pallid.” Still, he said, “history shows that personal chemistry does matter.” |
| Christopher Meyer, a former British ambassador to Washington, said that “they look like the odd couple, but you never know — what’s required is a good working relationship.” John Major and Bill Clinton were also an odd couple, he said — “there was nothing there at all,” and Barack Obama and Gordon Brown never clicked. | Christopher Meyer, a former British ambassador to Washington, said that “they look like the odd couple, but you never know — what’s required is a good working relationship.” John Major and Bill Clinton were also an odd couple, he said — “there was nothing there at all,” and Barack Obama and Gordon Brown never clicked. |
| As a gift to Mr. Trump, Mrs. May is bringing a quaich (pronounced as quake), a two-handled Scottish drinking cup for whisky used to symbolize trust between the giver and recipient. Although intensely proud of his Scottish ancestry, and his Scottish golf courses, Mr. Trump is a teetotaler. | As a gift to Mr. Trump, Mrs. May is bringing a quaich (pronounced as quake), a two-handled Scottish drinking cup for whisky used to symbolize trust between the giver and recipient. Although intensely proud of his Scottish ancestry, and his Scottish golf courses, Mr. Trump is a teetotaler. |
| The early meeting is important for Mrs. May, Mr. Meyer said, because “she can put in a British fix on the things that bother us — NATO, Putin, security, trade.” | The early meeting is important for Mrs. May, Mr. Meyer said, because “she can put in a British fix on the things that bother us — NATO, Putin, security, trade.” |
| What has upset the British government is Mr. Trump’s “being nasty to NATO and nice to Putin,” Mr. Meyer said. But after calming words about NATO from Defense Secretary James N. Mattis, praise for President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is less problematic, he said. “But May would like to hear that from the horse’s mouth.” | What has upset the British government is Mr. Trump’s “being nasty to NATO and nice to Putin,” Mr. Meyer said. But after calming words about NATO from Defense Secretary James N. Mattis, praise for President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is less problematic, he said. “But May would like to hear that from the horse’s mouth.” |
| Mrs. May comes with an agenda, her spokeswoman, unidentified under traditional ground rules, said on Wednesday. Her goal is “to meet face to face and establish a personal relationship that leads to an effective, productive working relationship, not just in the interests of the U.K. and the U.S., but facing the many global challenges where we can work together.” | Mrs. May comes with an agenda, her spokeswoman, unidentified under traditional ground rules, said on Wednesday. Her goal is “to meet face to face and establish a personal relationship that leads to an effective, productive working relationship, not just in the interests of the U.K. and the U.S., but facing the many global challenges where we can work together.” |
| Those include, the spokeswoman said, a start on talks for a bilateral trade deal post-Brexit, but also a “frank” discussion of the importance of the NATO alliance, which Mr. Trump has sometimes disparaged; of the European Union (ditto), even though Britain is leaving it; of Russia and its violations of international law in Crimea and eastern Ukraine, “where we’ve taken a strong position” and to which “we will remain committed.” | Those include, the spokeswoman said, a start on talks for a bilateral trade deal post-Brexit, but also a “frank” discussion of the importance of the NATO alliance, which Mr. Trump has sometimes disparaged; of the European Union (ditto), even though Britain is leaving it; of Russia and its violations of international law in Crimea and eastern Ukraine, “where we’ve taken a strong position” and to which “we will remain committed.” |
| Asked about Mr. Trump’s more sexist comments, Mrs. May has 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.” | Asked about Mr. Trump’s more sexist comments, Mrs. May has 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.” |
| When she meets Mr. Trump, she said, “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.” | When she meets Mr. Trump, she said, “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.” |
| Jeremy Shapiro, a former State Department official who is the director of research for the European Council on Foreign Relations, said that Mrs. May had to be careful because Mr. Trump almost never has fights with someone in the room. | Jeremy Shapiro, a former State Department official who is the director of research for the European Council on Foreign Relations, said that Mrs. May had to be careful because Mr. Trump almost never has fights with someone in the room. |
| “Then you think that maybe this isn’t the person I thought he was, but 48 hours later he tweets something and disappoints you,” he said. | “Then you think that maybe this isn’t the person I thought he was, but 48 hours later he tweets something and disappoints you,” he said. |
| Mrs. May may be aware that she is a supplicant, Mr. Shapiro said, “but Trump has her boxed up in her domestic politics — the problem of Farage, her need to control the Brexit wing of her party and her need to fashion a Brexit that won’t destroy her prime ministership.” | Mrs. May may be aware that she is a supplicant, Mr. Shapiro said, “but Trump has her boxed up in her domestic politics — the problem of Farage, her need to control the Brexit wing of her party and her need to fashion a Brexit that won’t destroy her prime ministership.” |
| Mr. Trump has made reference to the warm, vital relationship between President Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. “But they were an actual team, they actually worked together, and Trump can’t stand that,” Mr. Shapiro said. | Mr. Trump has made reference to the warm, vital relationship between President Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. “But they were an actual team, they actually worked together, and Trump can’t stand that,” Mr. Shapiro said. |
| Mr. Freedland said that the Reagan-Thatcher connection mattered, “because there was extra leeway and space for both of them, because of the personal relationship.” | Mr. Freedland said that the Reagan-Thatcher connection mattered, “because there was extra leeway and space for both of them, because of the personal relationship.” |
| The new president, Mr. Shapiro suggested, will see Mrs. May’s desire to meet him first as a sign of weakness. “There’s no way Trump will say it that way face-to-face, but later it will come through in the relationship and in any U.S.-U.K. trade deal,” which he expects will not be particularly favorable to Britain. | The new president, Mr. Shapiro suggested, will see Mrs. May’s desire to meet him first as a sign of weakness. “There’s no way Trump will say it that way face-to-face, but later it will come through in the relationship and in any U.S.-U.K. trade deal,” which he expects will not be particularly favorable to Britain. |
| For Mr. Trump, he suggested, those leaders who do not ask for early meetings are the ones who show the most strength. | For Mr. Trump, he suggested, those leaders who do not ask for early meetings are the ones who show the most strength. |
| Mr. Meyer, the former ambassador, is less concerned. “She’s completely aware of the dangers, and I think she might turn out to be a bit of an iron lady in some of what she says,” he said. “She won’t sound like a supplicant. But getting the balance right between saying all the oleaginous things about the special relationship and saying the things that matter to us will be the key.” | Mr. Meyer, the former ambassador, is less concerned. “She’s completely aware of the dangers, and I think she might turn out to be a bit of an iron lady in some of what she says,” he said. “She won’t sound like a supplicant. But getting the balance right between saying all the oleaginous things about the special relationship and saying the things that matter to us will be the key.” |
| Mrs. May also addressed Republicans in Philadelphia on Thursday at their annual retreat, which Mr. Trump was also expected to attend, before meeting him at the White House on Friday afternoon. Then she flies to Ankara, Turkey, for a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. | Mrs. May also addressed Republicans in Philadelphia on Thursday at their annual retreat, which Mr. Trump was also expected to attend, before meeting him at the White House on Friday afternoon. Then she flies to Ankara, Turkey, for a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. |
| On issues of trade, terrorism, migration, security, NATO and Cyprus, Mrs. May’s spokeswoman said, Turkey, too, “is such an important partner.” | On issues of trade, terrorism, migration, security, NATO and Cyprus, Mrs. May’s spokeswoman said, Turkey, too, “is such an important partner.” |
| Mr. Trump has emphasized his affection for Britain and for Brexit by returning a bust of Winston Churchill to the Oval Office. | Mr. Trump has emphasized his affection for Britain and for Brexit by returning a bust of Winston Churchill to the Oval Office. |
| Mr. Obama’s replacement of the bust by one of Martin Luther King Jr. became an issue in Britain before Brexit, with the current foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, claiming that Mr. Obama removed the Churchill bust because he “is a symbol of the part-Kenyan president’s ancestral dislike of the British Empire.” | Mr. Obama’s replacement of the bust by one of Martin Luther King Jr. became an issue in Britain before Brexit, with the current foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, claiming that Mr. Obama removed the Churchill bust because he “is a symbol of the part-Kenyan president’s ancestral dislike of the British Empire.” |
| As a personal gesture after Christmas, Mrs. May sent Mr. Trump a copy of Churchill’s famous speech to the American people on Christmas Eve 1941, weeks after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into the war. | As a personal gesture after Christmas, Mrs. May sent Mr. Trump a copy of Churchill’s famous speech to the American people on Christmas Eve 1941, weeks after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into the war. |
| In her letter, she told Mr. Trump that “the sentiment” Churchill had expressed — “of a sense of unity and fraternal association between the United Kingdom and United States — is just as true today as it has ever been.” | In her letter, she told Mr. Trump that “the sentiment” Churchill had expressed — “of a sense of unity and fraternal association between the United Kingdom and United States — is just as true today as it has ever been.” |
| Maybe. Maybe not. | Maybe. Maybe not. |