Burnham criticised Trump in 2017, saying he would not meet him as a matter of principle over his posts
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham speaks during a business and investor roundtable, with a portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II hanging in the background, before attending the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York City, US, September 22, 2026. REUTERS
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Tuesday played down his previous criticism of US President Donald Trump, ahead of a meeting with him in New York.
Speaking to journalists on his flight to the US, Burnham said politicians make comments throughout their careers, but the focus should be on the current relationship.
Burnham has previously been critical of Trump. In 2017, he said he would not meet Trump as a “matter of principle”, citing the president’s “hateful, extremist material” posted online.
Following the storming of the US Capitol by Trump supporters in January 2021, Burnham said: “Any UK politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed right now.”
Burnham said it was now time to move on from them. “Politicians say things throughout their career, but now the important thing is to focus on the moment you are in,” he said.
He said he raised Trump’s previous description of him as “the mayor of a town” in their first phone call.
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“I did say to the president in our first phone call, I said Mr president, Manchester isn’t ‘some town’. I said ‘this is Manchester’.”
“And so yes, the right thing to do is to have a laugh about it, isn’t it, and move beyond it.”
Asked whether he could trust Trump, Burnham said the relationship between the UK and US was deeper than individual political disagreements.
“When you come into this job, you realise how deep this relationship is. We trust our allies. Of course, we do.”
Asked specifically whether he trusted Trump personally, Burnham replied: “Yes.”
