Donald Trump has appeared to defend the US diplomat’s wife who is suspected of being involved in the death of British teenager Harry Dunn.
Harry, 19, was killed when his motorbike crashed into a car on August 27.
The suspect, 42-year-old Anne Sacoolas, reportedly married to a US intelligence official, was granted diplomatic immunity following the crash.
The car was thought to have been driving on the wrong side of the road after leaving RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire – a military base used by the US Air Force.
The US president said that Americans driving on the other side of the road in the UK “happens”.
When asked during a press briefing at the White House about the young motorcyclist’s death, Trump said: “The woman was driving on the wrong side of the road, and that can happen. You know, those are the opposite roads, that happens.
“I won’t say it ever happened to me, but it did.
“When you get used to driving on our system and then you’re all of a sudden on the other system where you’re driving – it happens. You have to be careful, very careful.
“So a young man was killed, the person that was driving the automobile has diplomatic immunity, we’re going to speak to her very shortly and see if we can do something where they meet. It was an accident, it was a terrible accident.”
Earlier, Boris Johnson spoke to Trump to personally ask him to “reconsider” granting immunity.
Downing Street confirmed the prime minister broached the subject in a telephone conversation with the US president on Wednesday, asking for British police to be allowed to pursue the young motorcyclist’s death.
It comes after Harry’s family said a meeting with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab over the death of their son felt like a “publicity stunt”.
They have since revealed they plan to start civil action against the suspect in the case.
The case has picked up attention in the American media, with Fox News, known to be the Republican White House incumbent’s news channel of choice, reporting on the controversy surrounding the suspect’s immunity.
Raab met Harry’s mother Charlotte Charles and father Tim Dunn on Wednesday afternoon after having talks with US Ambassador Woody Johnson on Tuesday.
Speaking after the meeting, Harry’s mother told reporters she felt “let down by both governments”.
Charles told reporters: “I can’t really see the point as to why we were invited to see Dominic Raab. We are no further forward than where we were this time last week.
“Part of me is feeling like it was just a publicity stunt on the UK Government side to show they are trying to help.”
Speaking after the meeting, Raab said he shared the “frustration” felt by the family and vowed to continue to “press the US authorities” into co-operating with the UK investigation.