<p>President Donald Trump indicated on September 22, 2026, that U.S. relations with the United Kingdom are improving under new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, despite his previous support for Burnham's predecessor, Keir Starmer.</p>
<p>Starmer resigned in the summer of 2026 following public dissatisfaction, and the Labour Party experienced significant losses in the 2025 and 2026 local elections.</p>
<p>During a bilateral meeting with Burnham on the outskirts of the United Nations General Assembly, Trump remarked that Burnham is “going to be a great prime minister.” He emphasized the importance of the U.S.-UK relationship, stating, “We really appreciate that this relationship matters so much to us, and we’ll build on that relationship.” Trump noted that he and Burnham have established a good connection and have advanced discussions.</p>
<p>Trump described Burnham, who previously served as the mayor of Greater Manchester, as “a natural business person” and expressed that relations with the U.K. are “up” compared to the period when Starmer was in office.</p>
<p>However, Trump expressed opposition to the agreement between the U.K. and Mauritius regarding the transfer of control of the Chagos Islands, a priority for both Starmer and Burnham. The Chagos Islands, located in the Indian Ocean, include Diego Garcia, a joint military base used by the U.S. and U.K. Trump stated, “I don’t support it. I think it’s terrible. It was a terrible deal,” adding that the claim of ownership was “ridiculous.”</p>
<p>Source: Washington Examiner</p>