Trump says he had 'very good' call with new UK PM Burnham, plans summit soon

Donald Trump said Monday he spoke with newly inaugurated British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and that the two leaders plan to hold a summit in the near future.

Trump posted on Truth Social that he had "a very good conversation" with Burnham and that the two would meet "in the not too distant future to discuss matters of mutual interest."

Trump said the call covered North Sea oil development, bilateral trade, the military alliance and mine-clearing efforts to restore safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Burnham told Trump that Britain would work closely with the United States on defense and security, and that it would also support efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to safe passage.

The call marked the first conversation between the two leaders since Burnham took office.

Burnham's predecessor, Keir Starmer, had clashed at times with Trump, particularly over the war with Iran. The two disagreed over the use of Diego Garcia air base in the Chagos Islands for strikes against Iran, and also diverged on immigration policy, energy policy and technology regulation. On the eve of Burnham's inauguration, Trump posted on Truth Social that the North Sea oil fields were "one of the greatest sources of high-quality oil on earth, with hundreds of years of supply and much yet to be found," adding that developing them "will lift Britain out of its poverty-stricken, disaster-like state and make it one of the wealthiest nations in the world" — unsolicited advice on North Sea development.

After the call, Trump added that "big challenges lie ahead, but Prime Minister Burnham is more than capable of handling them, and the United States will be there to help."