U.S. President Donald Trump and United Kingdom Prime Minister Andy Burnham met at the United Nations General Assembly in New York for their first in-person talks, addressing a range of complex issues including tensions over Iran, artificial intelligence regulation, and the status of the Chagos Islands. Despite underlying disagreements, both leaders conveyed a generally cordial tone during their discussions.
Trump praised Burnham as a “natural business person” with considerable assets and predicted he would be a “great” prime minister. The president said his relationship with the UK has improved since Burnham took office and suggested bilateral ties were stronger than under Burnham’s predecessor, Keir Starmer. Burnham, accompanied by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, emphasized efforts to build on an “existing good connection” to repair strained relations, particularly regarding the Iran conflict.
Ahead of the talks, Burnham indicated he would urge Trump to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East, citing regional instability’s impact on global energy prices and the UK economy. Trump reiterated his threat to “annihilate” Iran if it did not cease nuclear ambitions and sign a peace agreement with the United States. Defending the resulting economic fallout, Trump argued that prices would drop once the conflict ended and stressed the importance of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
On artificial intelligence, Burnham called for an international framework to establish “a single set of global principles and standards” aimed at preventing misuse of AI technologies. This initiative aligns with the UK’s upcoming G20 presidency. However, Trump rejected global regulatory approaches, labeling concerns over AI as a “hoax” and advocating for encouraging its growth without restrictions. The U.S. president dismissed efforts to implement safety testing mandates for AI companies, which are being promoted by a coalition including Finland and Norway.
The leaders also clashed over the UK’s decision to cede sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while maintaining a lease on the Diego Garcia military base. Trump criticized the agreement as a “terrible deal,” questioning Mauritius’s claims of ownership and suggesting Burnham might reconsider the arrangement. Burnham acknowledged Trump’s comments with a nod but made no immediate commitments.
Trump refrained from commenting on the UK’s trade restrictions with West Bank settlements, deferring to Burnham to address the matter. Journalists noted that Trump’s attitude toward Burnham was unexpectedly positive given his previous dismissive remarks about the prime minister.
The meeting concluded with Trump expressing confidence in the UK’s future, describing it as a “really special country” and affirming U.S. support. Burnham underscored a need to shift the narrative around Britain toward optimism and opportunity. The two leaders covered a broad agenda, including topics such as energy, Rolls-Royce, and immigration.
In other remarks at the United Nations, Trump forecast a quicker-than-expected resolution to the Ukraine-Russia conflict, following recent discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He also cautioned that Starmer’s stance on Moscow had been “too tough,” suggesting London should exercise more caution. Later, Trump defended his decision to ban certain journalists from White House events, referring to the media as “fake news” and asserting his right to limit access.