President Donald Trump said Friday he had spoken by phone with new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and that discussions on a "very substantial" trade deal were already underway.
"I predict he'll be a great prime minister," Trump said, calling Johnson a "good guy" minutes after ending the conversation.
"We're working on a trade agreement already," Trump said, adding: "I think it will be a very substantial trade agreement."
Trump said a bilateral deal with post-Brexit Britain could be "three to four, five times" bigger than current trade and once London is out of the European Union "we could do much more."
Trump says the EU impeded trade with the UK. Why would the world's largest trading block, that has no trouble signing trade deals around the world,impede trade with the world's largest economy?
— Danny Barrs (@DanielBarrs2) July 27, 2019
Trump, in phone call, congratulates Johnson on becoming PM https://t.co/ZfCxgMhW1K
In London, a Downing Street spokesperson said Trump and Johnson had "both expressed their commitment to delivering an ambitious free trade agreement and to starting negotiations as soon as possible after the UK leaves the EU."
Boris Johnson will meet Donald Trump THREE times in the next 100 days.
— Theodora Dickinson (@TheaDickinson) July 26, 2019
He wants to build on the UK’s special relationship with the US.
Boris will make a visit to the US one of his first priorities, kick-starting a free trade deal ASAP.#BackBorishttps://t.co/iE50n4GBa5
Johnson has touted Britain's future as an independent trading country striking numerous bilateral deals outside of the massive EU alliance, which collectively negotiates with Washington.
"They needed him a long time," Trump said of fellow conservative Johnson.