Andy Burnham, described as Britain's incoming Prime Minister, has moved to reassure Washington that the United States will remain the UK's "most important ally" despite widespread concern over how he will handle relations with President Donald Trump. Writing in the Times, Burnham stressed his desire for "stability where it matters most", signalling continuity on Nato, the UK's nuclear deterrent and support for Ukraine. The intervention matters because it offers an early glimpse of his foreign policy at a moment of friction between London and the Trump White House.

Relations are complicated by several flashpoints, including US threats of punitive tariffs over UK "digital tax" plans, tensions surrounding the Iran conflict, and disagreements over Nato. Trump has said he knows little about Burnham beyond regarding him as "extremely liberal", while Burnham himself said in 2017 he would refuse to meet Trump on principle over shared "hateful extremist material". Burnham also confirmed that Jonathan Powell will remain as No 10 national security adviser, indicating the contested Chagos deal is still being pursued despite US objections, and broadly endorsed Keir Starmer's £15 billion defence investment plan, even though it is unfunded.