Jacob Heilbrunn

Theresa May is back in the President’s Club

Donald Trump is in love again. Theresa May can’t guarantee Trump an effusive welcome if he visits Great Britain and they don’t appear to have held hands. But Trump seemed to indicate that the rough patch in their relationship is over. Meeting with May today at Davos, Trump declared, `We love your country.’ He thereby welcomed May back to what amounts to his personal Presidents Club.

For May, Trump’s amorous avowal must come as a big relief. She was the first foreign leader to visit the White House in January 2017. But French president Emmanuel Macron has now upstaged her by becoming the first to receive a state visit. Macron, who can rely on expert advice from the suave French ambassador in Washington Gerard Araud, has displayed the kind of sinuous diplomatic dexterity that May can only dream about. Heads should be rolling in the Foreign Office over this coup de main.

May is quite right to focus on ensuring that Trump does visit later this year.

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