Don't expect a Love Actually moment when Burnham meets Trump
Burnham has done less to kiss the Presidential ring than his predecessor, which may lead to a bumpy ride, writes foreign policy expert Professor Andrew Moran
President Trump’s meetings with world leaders are never straightforward.
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There’s no reason to suggest today’s meeting with Andy Burnham should be any different.
Burnham has done less to kiss the Presidential ring than his predecessor, which some have forecast may lead to a bumpy ride. But many believe Trump regarded Starmer as a weak man, and the Prime Minister appears to be a more comfortable, positive leader who wants to get things done, which might mean he can charm Trump just as fellow left-winger New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has done. Trump likes to be associated with strong, popular leaders, which, for now at least, puts Burnham in a strong position.
It will be interesting to see how much pushback Burnham is willing to engage in. He is unlikely to be as firm as Mark Carney of Canada, so don’t expect a Hugh Grant-style ‘Love Actually’ moment where he confronts the President. Neither do I foresee anything as cosy as a personal invite from the King, the card Starmer played when he first met Trump as PM.
The President and Prime Minister share plenty of goals: ending the war in the Middle East and mitigating its economic and cost-of-living impacts, and a potential move to restart drilling in the North Sea will be particularly warmly greeted.
Burnham may receive Trump’s ire for Britain’s refusal to join the war in Iran, but his newly announced support for Saudi Arabia in their conflict with the Houthis is a neat means of supporting a key US ally, which might help reduce the potential for disagreement.
A meeting with Trump is rarely plain sailing, though: there are plenty of areas where they hold different positions, including the trade ban on goods from the West Bank (which Trump has yet to comment on), the future of the Falkland Islands, and Trump's recent comment about uniting Ireland.
Burham should be grateful the meeting is taking place at the United Nations in New York, not the White House, which, as home turf for Trump and his team, has become the place where they most frequently like to catch people off guard.
Even its greatest cheerleaders would struggle to call the US-UK relationship ‘special’ anymore. Trump is an unreliable ally and we know it; that’s why we’re seeing greater collaboration between middle powers like Canada, Britain, and the EU.
So today’s visit will not be straightforward. With the President more untethered and unpredictable than ever, and so many points of difference between him and Burnham, don't be surprised if we see the Prime Minister dancing down the Downing Street staircase if he comes out unscathed.
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Professor Andrew Moran is Head of Politics and International Relations at London Metropolitan University.
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