The New Reagan and Thatcher? Trump Welcomes British PM Theresa May
WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump receives his first foreign head of state at the White House Friday.
British Prime Minister Theresa May gets the honor and the two leaders have much to discuss.
May told reporters on her plane ride across the pond that "sometimes opposites attract," with many speculating them to be the next Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan.
May is the first foreign leader President Trump will receive at the White House. It's symbolic of the special relationship between the U.S. and Britain, but there are many serious issues to discuss and perhaps nearest and dearest to Trump is trade.
The president has spoken eagerly about making a free-trade deal with Britain, and May is anxious to find an economic partner outside of the European Union as she orchestrates Britain's so called Brexit.
"A new trade deal between Britain and America must work for both sides and serve both of our national interests. It must help to grow our respective economies and to provide the high skilled, high paid jobs of the future," May commented.
The daughter of a vicar who now leads Britain's conservative party, May worked hard to get the invitation to be Trump's first top foreign visitor.
On Thursday, she visited with congressional Republicans holding a retreat in Philadelphia where she played up a strong relationship with the U.S. and American conservatives.
"I speak to you not just as prime minister of the United Kingdom, but as a fellow conservative who believes in the same principles that underpin the agenda of your party," she said. "The value of liberty, the dignity of work, the principles of nationhood, family, economic prudence, patriotism — and putting power in the hands of the people."
She referenced President Reagan often and even played off his famous quote "trust but verify" to explain her approach to Russia as "engage but beware."
Besides Russia, Trump and May will discuss joint efforts to defeat ISIS, the war in Syria and NATO.
Meanwhile, another meeting with a foreign leader is off. The president of Mexico, Peña Nieto, cancelled his visit following a dispute with Trump over a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico.
For now, Trump is set to sign more executive orders Friday, including a temporary ban on refugees entering the U.S. and a halt on immigration from countries with strong ties to terrorism.
