Donald Trump dodges question whether post-Brexit Britain is 'at the front of the queue' for US trade deal

Asked if UK deal is priority, incoming President says: 'I think you're doing great'

President-elect's apparent dodge could undermine another pledge to work 'very quickly' to secure a deal made in the same interview

Donald Trump has refused to confirm whether securing a trade deal with Britain after Brexit will be the number one priority for his administration.

The President-elect’s apparent dodge could undermine a pledge, which he made in the same interview, to work "very quickly" to secure such a trade agreement.

Mr Trump did not make any assurances when asked directly by Michael Gove whether the UK was at the “front of the queue” in securing a deal with the US.

Speaking about his long-running support for Brexit, he told The Times: "Everyone thought I was crazy. Obama said they [the UK] will go to the back of the line."

But when asked by Mr Gove if now the UK was "at the front of the queue?" Mr Trump simply said: "I think you're doing great. Countries want their own identity."

Experts have previously forecast that carrying out trade with the UK would not be a high priority for Washington, which is facing public backlash against free trade.

Following Mr Trump's election, Theresa May faced embarrassment when she was not formally invited by Mr Trump to the White House, constituting a blow to the appearance of UK-US relations.

If the President-elect were to secure a bilateral trade agreement with the UK it would be seen as a major rebuke to the EU, with which the US has been engaged in negotiations for four years.

During his interview with Mr Gove, the future US leader also said: “I think Brexit is going to be a great thing. I thought the UK was so smart in getting out.”

But on Friday, the outgoing US ambassador to the EU, Anthony Gardner said it would he "lunacy" and "the height of folly" to the US to overhaul established foreign policy and become a "Brexit cheerleader".

Under EU rules the UK cannot negotiate a trade deal until after it leaves the bloc. Officials have previously said any agreement would depend on the UKs departing deal with the union, most significantly whether it remains part of the single market.

Rhetoric from the Prime Minister's office in recent weeks has increasingly suggested Theresa May is preparing to abandon the single market, placing heightened pressure on US-UK trade relations.

Sterling fell 1.5 per cent against the dollar, to its lowest levels since October, ahead of a speech by Ms May at Lancaster House, where she is expected to announce that the UK is willing to leave the tariff-free market.