Donald Trump might change his view on many things but he has been completely consistent on Brexit. He saw the referendum as a great vote of confidence in the nation state, a declaration that Britain was thinking bigger than the EU and ready to do better deals with the world. America stood ready to conduct a free trade deal, he said, and Britain would be at “the front of the queue”.
But his officials were appalled to see the direction Mrs May then took with her Chequers deal, saying that it meant the UK had chosen to stick with EU rules and regulations. Ever since, this has been the message from US State Department. Trump has repeated that verdict today. The deal, he said, “sounds like a great deal – for the EU.” He then elaborated:
“I think we have to take a look seriously about whether or not the UK is allowed to trade.
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