Burnham twice refuses to say whether he trusts Trump

By the Editorial Team · Monday, July 27, 2026

Andy Burnham, newly appointed UK Prime Minister, declined to confirm whether he trusts U.S. President Donald Trump after their first phone call, describing the conversation as warm but emphasizing the need for ongoing interaction to build the relationship. This cautious approach reflects underlying tensions due to Trump's previous criticisms and concerns from his administration about Burnham's Foreign Secretary appointment, signaling a cautious start to UK-U.S. relations under Burnham's leadership.

Andy Burnham, newly appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, declined to explicitly state whether he trusts U.S. President Donald Trump following their first telephone conversation this week. In an interview on a Sunday news program, Burnham described the 20-minute call as a “warm” exchange but emphasized that the relationship would need to be developed over time.

When asked directly about his trust in Trump, Burnham said that he had only one conversation with the president so far and preferred to judge people based on ongoing interactions. “I’ve lived my whole life by that, and I found him to be really warm on Monday,” he remarked, referring to the call earlier in the week. On a subsequent question, Burnham added that in a “changing world,” it is necessary to “call things as they develop,” avoiding a definitive statement on trust.

The call took place on Monday, mere hours after Burnham took office. Trump characterized the discussion as “very good” and noted on his social media platform that they covered a broad range of topics, including North Sea oil, trade, military alliance, and de-mining efforts in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump also said he wished Burnham “good luck and Godspeed” and welcomed an invitation to attend the G20 summit scheduled in Manchester next year.

Despite the amicable tone of the call, tensions had been anticipated due to Trump’s previous remarks referring to Burnham as “the mayor of a town” and “extremely liberal.” Further potential friction arose within the White House following Burnham’s appointment of Ed Miliband as Foreign Secretary. Miliband, a former energy secretary, pledged to strengthen ties with the European Union and affirmed the importance of the United Kingdom’s alliance with the United States. Trump’s team reportedly expressed reservations about working closely with Miliband.

Burnham’s cautious stance on trust was mirrored by Wes Streeting, the new Defence Secretary, who also refrained from expressing trust in Trump during an interview on Sky News. Streeting noted that he did not personally know the U.S. president but affirmed trust in the United States as a country, describing the situation as being “in first impressions territory.”

Burnham additionally dismissed speculation about the possibility of an early general election, indicating a focus on maintaining stability as his government settles into office.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.