Trump has grown tired of Theresa May’s “school mistress” tone, the president’s allies have said amid anticipation the pair will not hold talks in Canada.
Trump is said to bristle at the Prime Minister’s phone calls, as May launches into policy detail rather than broader conversation. A senior US diplomat said her frequent demands annoy him, something he sees as taking advantage of the UK-US relationship.
A long-time friend revealed Trump complains when she admonishes him in public after being deemed to have stepped out of line. And a former White House official, who attended meetings between the pair, confirmed the frosty relationship: “No offence, but she is basically a school mistress. I’m not sure anyone gets on well with her.”
World leaders gather today in Quebec for a G7 meeting that has been overshadowed by the US decision to impose steel tariffs on allies. On the agenda for the two-day summit will be economic growth, employment, gender equality, climate change and world peace. But Mr Trump’s decision has infuriated G7 members, as has his withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal.
It remains unclear whether May will hold talks with Trump in Canada. She was not named among world leaders due to sit with the US president.
Gordon Brown, the former Labour prime minister, was infamously snubbed by Barack Obama who turned down five requests for meetings during a 2009 gathering of world leaders.
May and Trump have struggled to develop a close political friendship. Although the Prime Minister was the first world leader to be a guest in Mr Trump’s White House in January 2017 when the pair were pictured holding hands, officials admitted that they were not especially close. A state visit to Britain is yet to happen and the pair have clashed several times over Trump’s Twitter activity and political stances.
British officials hope rolling out the red carpet when he visits Britain on July 13 for a working trip will help improve relations, with a round of golf and tea with the Queen expected.
May is not alone in failing to build a rapport. Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, has a frosty relationship with Trump.
Trump himself is reportedly unhappy at having to attend G7 on the eve of his historic meeting with Kim Jong-un in Singapore. According to reports he would rather be preparing for that.
