Jeremy Hunt to meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo amid growing crisis over Cohen and Manafort trials

The foreign secretary's first major trip to the US is being overshadowed by the turmoil surrounding the Trump administration

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt will hold talks with top officials in the administration of Donald Trump, just as the president struggles to contain the fallout from a major fraud scandal.

Mr Hunt will meet secretary of state Mike Pompeo, chief of staff John Kelly and adviser Jared Kushner, Mr Trump’s son-in-law, in Washington DC.

It comes after Mr Trump’s former personal lawyer and “fixer” Michael Cohen admitted he made hush money payments to two women “at the direction” of the president, just moments after the US leader’s former campaign chief Paul Manafort was convicted of fraud offences.

Mr Hunt was in the States to make his first major foreign policy speech and in a bid to shore up creaking relations with the US amid the turmoil of Mr Trump’s presidency.

On Tuesday he called on the EU to maintain pressure on Russia and ensure “that we truly stand shoulder to shoulder with the US”.

“That means calling out and responding to transgressions with one voice wherever and whenever they occur, from the streets of Salisbury to the heart of Crimea,” he said.

The US has also expelled dozens of Russian diplomats following the March poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skirpal in Salisbury, that in July claimed the life of Dawn Sturgess.

The Foreign Secretary will also travel to New York on Thursday to address the UN Security Council on the work of the UK and the US to fight against Islamic State.

But the visit has been overshadowed after Cohen pleaded guilty to charges including campaign finance fraud stemming from hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels and ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal.

The lawyer’s admission came almost simultaneously with the conviction of Mr Trump’s ex-campaign chief Paul Manafort for fraud offences.

The crimes pre-dated the veteran political player’s time as head of Mr Trump’s 2016 White House bid, although they were prosecuted as part of an investigation into Russian interference in the election.

Led by special counsel Robert Mueller, the probe is investigating allegations that associates of Mr Trump colluded with Russian figures to influence the vote.

On Tuesday Mr Trump renewed his attack on the investigation, calling it a “witch hunt” and Manafort’s conviction a “disgrace”.

Mr Mueller’s probe has sought the extradition of 13 Russians indicted over interference in the 2016 election, while Washington has imposed sanctions on the Kremlin.