Andy Burnham’s first meeting with Donald Trump was broadly cordial, with Trump praising him as a potential “great Prime Minister” and avoiding the confrontational tone seen in previous encounters with other leaders. However, the mood changed when Trump criticised the proposed Chagos Islands agreement, creating a significant diplomatic complication for the British government.

Burnham later suggested the deal could be abandoned if he cannot secure Trump’s support, despite having defended it previously. His visit came shortly after his father’s death and included meetings with 25 leaders in 24 hours, with aides viewing his informal approach as effective in building rapport with Trump and other international figures.