Washington: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that Britons like him and that is why they are calling their new Prime Minister Boris Johnson "Britain's Trump" Trump also praised Johnson, saying he is a good man.
"We have a really good man who's going to be the prime minister of the UK now, Boris Johnson. Goodman, he is tough, and he is smart," The Hill quoted Trump as saying.
"They are saying 'Britain Trump.' They call him Britain Trump, and people are saying that's a good thing. They like me over there. That's what they wanted. That's what they need." Trump remarks came hours after hardliner Brexiteer Boris Johnson won Tory's leadership, by securing 92,153 votes as compared to Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt's 46,656 votes.
Earlier in the day, Trump congratulated Johnson on Twitter. "Congratulations to Boris Johnson on becoming the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He will be great!," tweeted Trump. Boris, who is the former British Foreign Secretary, will succeed Theresa May as the British PM and the head of Conservative party, reported CNN.
"Today the campaign is over and the work begins," Johnson said in a speech immediately after the results were announced. 1,60,000 grassroots Conservative party members across the UK had voted to choose the next occupant of 10 Downing Street after May's departure. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulated Boris Johnson.
"I congratulate Boris Johnson and I am looking forward to a good cooperation. Our countries should remain close friends in the future," Merkel was quoted as saying by government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer on Twitter. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Ivanka Trump also wished Johnson for being elected as the UK prime minister.
"We congratulate @BorisJohnson on his election as the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. We look forward to making our #SpecialRelationship even stronger," tweeted Pompeo. "Congratulations @BorisJohnson on becoming the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom," tweeted Ivanka.
