US President Donald Trump has described Andy Burnham, the former Manchester mayor and potential successor to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, as "extremely liberal" and expressed reluctance to be the first world leader to meet him if he becomes prime minister. These remarks marked Mr. Trump’s first public comments on Mr. Burnham, who is seen by many as a key figure in the leadership race following Sir Keir’s recent resignation.

Speaking during a White House meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Mr. Trump indicated limited knowledge of Mr. Burnham, referring to him simply as "mayor of a town." He speculated that Mr. Burnham likely would oppose exploiting North Sea oil resources, noting that the UK purchases oil at a premium from Norway, which controls a substantial sovereign wealth fund estimated at $2 trillion. "So that means he probably won’t open up the North Sea," Mr. Trump said, contrasting the economic fortunes of Norway and the UK.

When asked if he wished to engage with Mr. Burnham upon his potential appointment as prime minister, Mr. Trump responded negatively, citing ideological differences. A source close to the president noted that Mr. Burnham is not well-known within the White House, with officials reportedly unable to "pick him out of a police line-up."

Mr. Burnham’s path to strengthening US-UK relations appears challenging given recent tensions. Mr. Trump has previously criticized Sir Keir Starmer, particularly over his refusal to allow use of the UK military base on Diego Garcia to launch strikes against Iran. The president has also blamed the Labour leader for a decline in the traditionally strong "special relationship" between the two countries.

In the days before his resignation, Mr. Trump labeled Sir Keir "no Winston Churchill" and accused him of failing on immigration and energy policy. He claimed to have warned Sir Keir multiple times that his stance would cost him his leadership role and suggested his own public comments may have influenced Sir Keir’s decision to step down.

The comments came amid efforts by NATO officials to address President Trump’s frustrations with the alliance ahead of an upcoming summit in Turkey. Mr. Rutte’s meeting with the president was reportedly aimed at easing tensions and reinforcing the alliance’s unity.