Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Monday 16 July 2018

May reveals Trump Brexit advice: Sue the EU, don't negotiate

By SYLVIA HUI his animosity toward the
Associated Press EU, aggressively criticizing
LONDON (AP) — In the his European NATO allies
midst of a messy political for taking advantage of
crisis at home over Britain's the U.S. on trade and de-
impending exit from the Eu- fense spending. In a CBS in-
ropean Union, Prime Minis- terview Saturday, he called
ter Theresa May revealed the EU a trade "foe."
Sunday that Donald Trump May's government has just
gave her this piece of ad- published its long-awaited
vice: Sue the EU, don't ne- Brexit plans, which pro-
gotiate. pose to keep Britain and
A bemused May turned him the EU in a free market for
down. But the exchange goods, with a more distant
was the latest example of relationship for services.
the awkward dance be- That has infuriated fervent
tween the U.S. and Britain, Brexit supporters, who see it
with the two leaders at- as a bad deal. Along with
tempting to put on a public Johnson, the man who had
show of friendliness despite been leading the Brexit
clear strains over trade, the negotiations, David Davis,
EU and their approaches to also quit in protest.
diplomacy. Ahead of a key week of
Trump told reporters on Fri- Parliament votes on trade
day that he had given May and customs policy, May
advice about how to deal warned party rebels on
with the EU that she found Sunday they should fall into
too "brutal." Asked in a BBC line, saying wrecking her
interview Sunday what that Brexit blueprint could result
was, May responded with in disaster.
an amused expression: "He "We need to keep our eyes
told me I should sue the EU. on the prize. If we don't, we
Not go into negotiation, risk ending up with no Brexit
sue them." Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and U.S. President Donald Trump answer questions during a at all," she wrote in an ar-
With a laugh, she added: press conference in Buckinghamshire, England, Friday, July 13, 2018. ticle in the Mail on Sunday
"Actually, no. We're go- Associated Press newspaper.
ing into negotiations with She acknowledged that
them." States. He said he had told Conservative government May how to handle Brexit, some lawmakers had
In the past few days, May how to conduct Brexit is deeply split between sup- as long as the U.S. "can doubts about her plans to
Trump's first official visit to negotiations, "but she didn't porters of a clean break trade and we don't have stick to a "common rule
Britain has been steered listen to me." with the EU and those who any restrictions" on com- book" with the bloc for
wildly off course by a se- He also praised May's ri- want to keep close ties with merce with the United King- goods and agricultural
ries of humiliating remarks val, Boris Johnson, who quit the bloc, Britain's biggest dom. products in return for free
he has made about May's last week as foreign secre- trading partner. On Sunday, May seemed trade, without tariffs or bor-
leadership — especially her tary to protest May's Brexit The U.S. president later to point to Trump's inconsis- der customs checks, but
handling of the tense Brexit plans. Trump claimed John- apologized and sought to tent advice when she said insisted she couldn't see a
negotiations. son would make a "great soften the blow, telling re- that as well as telling her to viable alternative.
In an explosive interview prime minister." porters at a joint news con- "sue" the EU, he also sug- Her appeal didn't convince
with The Sun newspaper The comments shocked ference Friday that May is gested not walking away prominent Conservative
published Thursday — just many in Britain — even an "incredible woman" who from the negotiations. lawmaker Jacob Rees-
as May was hosting Trump May's opponents — and is "doing a fantastic job" as May didn't elaborate, Mogg, who accused May
at a lavish black-tie din- couldn't have come at a prime minister. and it wasn't clear what of only half-heartedly sup-
ner — Trump said the Brit- worse time for the British Asked to rate U.S.-U.K. re- grounds Britain would have porting Brexit. May, he con-
ish leader's approach likely prime minister, who is fac- lations, Trump called them to sue the EU, how it would tended, was "a Remainer
"killed" chances of a free- ing a crisis over Brexit from the "highest level of spe- work or to what purpose. who remains a Remainer."
trade deal with the United within her own ranks. Her cial." He added it was up to But Trump has made clear q