Donald Trump has backed Boris Johnson to be a “great” prime minister.
But the US president made a characteristic mistake in describing Johnson as the new PM, despite Theresa May having around 24 hours to go in Downing Street before she formally resigned to the Queen.
Johnson will take over on Wednesday afternoon after defeating Jeremy Hunt in the Tory leadership race, in a landslide victory.
In what will be a controversial endorsement after the result was announced on Tuesday, Trump tweeted: “Congratulations to Boris Johnson on becoming the new prime minister of the United Kingdom. He will be great!”
SNP MP Mhairi Black said Trump’s tweet was evidence of “racists supporting racists”.
And senior Labour MP Jon Trickett suggested Trump’s endorsement proved that Johnson would make a bad PM.
The shadow cabinet office minister said: “This tweet tells us all we need to know about the new PM. More than all of Boris Johnson’s verbiage added together”.
Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, meanwhile congratulated Johnson on becoming prime minister of the United “Kingston”.
Johnson once said Trump displayed “stupefying ignorance” which made him “unfit to be president”.
But he then spent much of his time as foreign secretary in May’s government, which he quit over Brexit in July 2018, trying to build close links with the Trump administration.
It appeared successful when Trump came to the UK on a state visit last month and said Johnson would make an “excellent” PM.
But Johnson snubbed the president’s request for a face-to-face meeting during the visit, instead talking over the phone and agreeing to meet at a later date.
Since then Johnson faced criticism for failing to defend Britain’s former ambassador to the US, Sir Kim Darroch, from Trump’s attacks after the diplomat’s cables which criticised the president were leaked to the press.
And earlier this month, Johnson criticised Trump’s racist remarks about four US congresswoman, describing them as “totally unacceptable” for a leader of a multiracial, multicultural society.
Senior Labour MP Jon Trickett suggested Trump’s endorsement proved that Johnson would make a bad PM.
The shadow cabinet office minister said: “This tweet tells us all we need to know about the new PM. More than all of Boris Johnson’s verbiage added together”.