US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has said he gave British Prime Minister Theresa May advice on “how to negotiate” Brexit but that she “didn’t listen” to it.
Trump made his comments while speaking to reporters during his meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar the Oval Office in the White House.
Trump said that he will stay out of the Brexit negotiations but hopes that the discussions work out.
He said he’s surprised how badly the talks have gone and added that May has failed to follow his advice on how to handle the negotiations.
“I gave the Prime Minister my ideas on how to negotiate it and I think you would have been successful. She didn’t listen to that and that’s fine. She’s got to do what she’s got to do,” Trump said.
“I think it could have been negotiated in a different manner, frankly. I hate to see everything being ripped apart right now,” he said.
He said both sides are very “cemented in” and he called it a “tough situation” and a “shame.”
Looking to the Taoiseach, Trump said Brexit was “tearing countries apart” and added that he was surprised “how badly” it has gone since the UK referendum.
It’s a very complex thing right now, it’s tearing a country apart, it’s actually tearing a lot of countries apart and it’s a shame it has to be that way but I think we will stay right in our lane.
I’m surprised at how badly it has all gone from a stand point of negotiations but I gave the prime minister my ideas of how to negotiate it, she didn’t listen to that and that’s fine but it could have been negotiated in a different manner, frankly.
Varadkar pushed the issue of an EU-US trade deal, but the US president launched a scathing attack on Europe stating that they have been very difficult to deal with.
Trump went on to say that he doesn’t think another Brexit referendum would be possible “because it would be very unfair to the people that won”.
The president’s comments came as MPs are due to vote again in the House of Commons this evening at 5pm. They will be asked whether they want to vote to request an extension to Article 50 from the European Union which would see Brexit delayed.
The House of Commons last night voted against a no-deal Brexit with 321 MPs rejecting leaving the European Union without an agreement at any time. A total of 278 MPs voted against the motion which aims to rule out a no-deal Brexit in any circumstances.
During last night’s events, MPs also voted for a ‘no no-deal ever’ amendment as put down by Caroline Spelman. Its aim was to rule out a no-deal Brexit at any time rather than just up until 29 March, as May had proposed.
A total of 312 voted for it – ie to entirely reject a no-deal at any time now or in the future – while 308 voted against the amendment.
TheJournal.ie’s Political Correspondent Christina Finn will be bringing you all the latest updates from Leo Varadkar’s visit to Washington DC this week, including his meeting with US President Donald Trump on Thursday.
Stay up-to-date by following @christinafinn8, @TJ_Politics and TheJournal.ie’s Facebook page.
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