Burnham 'gets it' says Trump, as the two leaders meet for first time

September 22, 2026

US President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham held their inaugural face-to-face meeting in New York, where they discussed bilateral relations and international agreements. During the encounter, Trump expressed optimism about working with Burnham, stating that the British leader "gets it" and suggesting productive business relations between the two nations were possible. However, Trump also voiced strong criticism of what he characterized as a "terrible" deal concerning the Chagos Islands.

Who is affected

Andy Burnham (UK Prime Minister)
Donald Trump (US President)
The United Kingdom government
The United States government
Parties involved in the Chagos Islands agreement

What action is being taken

Andy Burnham and Donald Trump are meeting face-to-face in New York
The two leaders are speaking to reporters during their meeting

Why it matters

This first face-to-face meeting between the US and UK leaders is significant for establishing the diplomatic and working relationship between the two allied nations. Trump's endorsement that he can "do business" with Burnham suggests potential cooperation on future bilateral initiatives, while his criticism of the Chagos deal indicates areas of disagreement that may affect international negotiations and UK-US relations going forward.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC