UK PM Burnham declines to say whether he trusts Trump

Burnham says he will not shy away from criticising the US president if it is in Britain's national interest.

Andy Burnham has declined to say whether he trusts US President Donald Trump, insisting he will judge the relationship as it develops.

The new prime minister described his first phone call with Trump last Monday — shortly after entering No. 10 — as "warm" and "good." However, when pressed by BBC's Laura Kuenssberg on whether he trusts the president, Burnham avoided a direct answer.

"I've had one phone call, and I always treat people as I find them," Burnham said. "It was a good exchange and it was a warm exchange. I am that kind of politician, I will always seek to judge people as I find them."

When Kuenssberg asked a second time, Burnham replied: "It's a changing world, isn't it, and you have to call things as they develop. I can't at any point say that I won't take a different opinion from him, that I will need to voice a different opinion that is right for Britain, and I will do that."

The PM added that his strength lies in remaining close to the public, and that will not change now that he is prime minister.

Burnham said he would not be afraid to call out Trump if he believed it was the right course of action.

"You have to defend your own national interest before anything else," he said. "That's what you're required to do if you're to do this job properly. I will always put Britain's interests first."

Background: Starmer-Trump Relations

Keir Starmer initially enjoyed a positive start in his relationship with Trump, even inviting him to the UK for an unprecedented second state visit.

However, the relationship had largely broken down before Starmer left office. Trump was critical of Starmer's decision not to allow US jets to carry out attacks on Iran from RAF bases. The two men were also at odds over Trump's threat to invade Greenland and his criticism of NATO.

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