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Donald Trump has insisted he did not attack Theresa May in his bombshell newspaper interview, branding it “fake news”.
Speaking alongside her at Chequers , the president said: “I didn’t criticise the prime minister, I have a lot of respect for the prime minister.”
Mr Trump also stepped back from his warning, in The Sun , that her Brexit plan would “kill” any trade deal – as long as there were no “restrictions”.
Ms May herself ducked a question about the president’s savaging of her Brexit strategy, while insisting: “This does deliver on the vote of the British people.”
However, to her discomfort, Mr Trump confirmed he had given her a “suggestion” on how to pursue Brexit – while rejecting the word “advice” – saying: “I think she found it too brutal.”
In a comment certain to be leapt on by Brexiteer MPs, he added: “I can fully understand why she thought it was a little bit tough” – even suggesting she might yet adopt it, if her own plan failed.
Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and puttingShow all 100 1 /100Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and US President Donald Trump walk to a joint news conference holding hands
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting People march holding anti-Trump signs in Edinburgh while the US. President is visiting Trump Turnberry Luxury Collection Resort in Scotland
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump depart from Glasgow Prestwick Airport
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Trump on the back
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting President Donald Trump waves whilst playing a round of golf at Trump Turnberry Luxury Collection Resort
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donut TrumpScotland United Against Trump demonstrators gather at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump plays a round of golf at Trump Turnberry
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting People march holding anti-Trump signs
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Trump waves form golf course
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Trump goes for a stroll
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Trump blimpA giant balloon depicting US President Donald Trump as an orange baby is launched as protesters gather in the Meadows, after taking part in the Scotland United Against Trump march through the streets of Edinburgh
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting U.S. President Donald Trump drives his golf buggy
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting A Greenpeace protester flying a microlight passes over Donald Trump's resort in Turnberry
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump look at the media during their arrival on Air Force One at Glasgow Prestwick Airport in Scotland
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Scotland United Against Trump demonstrators gather at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Security and police teams surround the perimeter of Trmup's golf course
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Scotland United Against Trump demonstrators
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Teams of police officers patrol the beach outside near Trump Turnberry Luxury Collection Resort
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Pro-Trump supporters demonstrate outside the US Embassy in support of President Donald Trump's visit to the UK, in London
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Scottish Labour leader, Richard Leonard speaks to crowd
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Ex-pat
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Demonstrators hold placards near the golf resort owned by US President
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protesters wear orange face makeup
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Pro-Trump supporters demonstrate outside the US Embassy in London
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Trump protestors on the beach near to the Trump Turnberry resort
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protestors against the UK visit of US President Donald Trump near Aberdeen
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting A mounted police officer patrols anti-Trump rally
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Trump supporter Bill McGibbon outside his cottage near to the Trump Turnberry resort in South Ayrshire
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Queen Elizabeth II and President Donald Trump inspect an honour guard at Windsor Castle
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Queen Elizabeth II stands with US President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, during their visit to Windsor Castle
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump walks ahead of Queen Elizabeth
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald and Melania Trump listen to the Coldstream Guards, play the US national anthem next to the Queen
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protesters in Windor
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Donald Trump and first lady Melanie Trump are greeted by Queen Elizabeth II, during an arrival ceremony with the Guard of Honour at Windsor
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Queen Elizabeth II waits to greet US President Donald Trump as he arrives by helicopter
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Ed Miliband joins the march
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting PM and President
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protestors hold banners
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting UK meets US
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protests at Trump visit
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Trump and May
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protests at Trump visit
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protesters for the 'Stop Trump' Women's March gather in London
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Donald Trump and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May hold a joint press conference
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump and Theresa May attend a press conference
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Demonstrators protest against the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Prime Minister Theresa May walks with US President Donald Trump at Chequers
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump UK protest
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting First Lady, Melania Trump, tries her hand at bowls
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President and British Prime Minister at Chequers
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Demonstrator in Black Lives matter T-shirt
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Theresa May and Donald Trump enter Chequers
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protestors wearing Donald Trump and Theresa May paper mache heads join the protest in Butler's Cross
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting First Lady, Melania Trump, looks on as Philip May tries bowls
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting American Psycho poster
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting First Lady, Melania Trump, reacts as she tries her hand at bowls
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump protest in London
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Theresa May, Donald Trump with US ambassador to the United Kingdom Woody Johnson and British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt at the start of the bilateral meeting at Chequers
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Melania Trump and Philip May wave flags
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump is greeted by Theresa May
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting The US First Lady Melania Trump, helps children to make poppies
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting The handshake between Donald Trump and Theresa May
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Demonstrators raise a six meter high effigy of Donald Trump
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump stands alongside Theresa May after he arrived for talks at Chequers, her country residence in Buckinghamshire
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting A six-meter high cartoon baby blimp of Donald Trump hovers next to the statue of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting First Lady, Melania Trump, accompanied by Philip May, meets schoolchildren and British Army veterans
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting A lookalike of former British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson stands next to a person in a cage wearing a money suit and a mask of Donald Trump
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald Trump gestures as he prepares to board Marine One to depart the US ambassador's residence Winfield House
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Demonstrators stand in front of a blimp portraying US. President Donald Trump, in Parliament Square
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting The Prime Minister hosts President Trump and First Lady Melania at a black tie dinner with business leaders at Blenheim Palace
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting The Prime Minister, accompanied by husband Philip, arrive with President Trump and First Lady Melania to a black tie dinner with business leaders at Blenheim Palace
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting The Prime Minister and President Trump are seen holding hands, not for the first time
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting President Donald Trump pumps his fist during his arrival, with first lady Melania Trump, in Regent's Park
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Demonstrators bang pots and pans as they gather at the US ambassador residence in Regent's Park
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump walk in the grounds of the US ambassador's residence Winfield House
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting A demonstrator protests next to the specially erected fence surrounding the US ambassador's residence
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting A motorcade arrives at Winfield House in London, the residence of American Ambassador to the to the Court of St James's
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting A presidential helicopter lands in the grounds of the US ambassador residence in Regent's Park
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protesters chant and wave placards during a demonstration outside Winfield House
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting he Marine One helicopter carrying US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump flies past the BT Tower
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Protesters chant and wave placards during a demonstration outside Winfield House
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump disembark from Air Force One after arriving in the UK
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US First Lady Melania Trump and US President Donald Trump are greeted by US Ambassador to the United Kingdom Woody Johnson
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Trump and Melania Trump leaving Stansted Airport
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting An honour guard stands to receive US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Donald and Melania
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox on their arrival
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US Marine Corps Osprey aircraft taking off
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Us President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump disembark from Air Force One
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Trump and Melania Trump arrive at Stansted
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting A giant 'Human Rights Nightmare' banner is unfurled by Amnesty International activists across the river Thames on Vauxhall Bridge to protest against the visit of US President Donald Trump
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Donald Trump waves as he arrives in the UK
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting An armed police officier waits on the tarmac at Stansted Airport
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting US President Donald Trump and Melania Trump arrive at Stansted Airport
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Donald Trump UK visit: protests, placards and putting Armed police await the arrival of US President Donald Trump at Stansted Airport
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Frustratingly, Mr Trump refused to reveal his “suggestion”, but denied it was to collapse the talks if necessary, saying: “You can’t walk away because, if she walks away, that means she’s stuck.”
Bizarrely, he also claimed he had visited Britain the day before the 2016 referendum and correctly predicted the Leave vote – even though he arrived a day later.
He then claimed he had told the prime minister: “I want to apologise," – which had prompting her to reply: “Don't worry, it's only the press.”. Mr Trump added: “I thought that was very professional.”
Donald Trump protest: People tell The Independent why they are demonstrating against the president Overnight, Mr Trump had tossed a hand grenade into Ms May’s hopes for her Brexit white paper, warning it would “probably kill” hopes of a US-UK trade deal, by keeping Britain tied to the EU.
And he added: “I would have done it much differently. I actually told Theresa May how to do it but she didn’t agree, she didn’t listen to me.
“She should negotiate the best way she knows how. But it is too bad what is going on.”
But, at the joint press conference, he rowed back, saying: “Whatever you do is okay with us, just make sure we can trade together, that's all that matters.”
He added: “The only thing I ask of Theresa is that we make sure we can trade and we don't have any restrictions because we want to trade with the UK and the UK wants to trade with us.
“If they go in a slightly different route - and I know they do want independence, it's going to be independence, it's just your definition - if they are going to go in a certain route I just said that I hope you are going to be able to trade with the United States.
“I read reports where that won't be possible, but I believe after speaking with the Prime Minister's people and representatives and trade experts it will absolutely be possible.”
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