Burnham charms Trump as President hails 'very good' first call on North Sea oil, trade and Iran
By MARTIN ROBINSON, CHIEF REPORTER
Published: 03:30 EDT, 21 July 2026 \| Updated: 03:43 EDT, 21 July 2026
Andy Burnham has turned on the charm with Donald Trump, who has spoken to the new Prime Minister and says they will meet soon.
The US President has said he had a 'very good conversation' with the new Labour leader - but admitted he 'has got a big job ahead of him.'
Burnham and Trump discussed a range of issues including North Sea oil, something that the President believes vehemently that the UK must make use of.
He said on Truth Social: 'I had a very good conversation with the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Andy Burnham. We discussed many subjects, including the outstanding relationship we have had with the UK. We will be meeting in the not too distant future for topics of mutual interest.
'The Prime Minister has got a big job ahead of him, but he will be able to do it and, of course, the U.S.A. will be there to help! We discussed North Sea Oil, Trade, the Military Alliance, Demining of the Hormuz Strait, and many other topics.
'The call was interesting, and went very well. I wished Prime Minister Burnham, GOOD LUCK AND GODSPEED!'
Donald Trump said his first call with new PM Andy Burnham was 'interesting, and went very well'
Donald Trump's first call with Sir Keir Starmer also went similarly well - before their relationship hit the rocks.
There were major rows over Iran, immigration and energy.
'This is not Winston Churchill, that I can tell you,' the President said of the now-former Prime Minister when he heard he was leaving Downing Street.
When first asked about Starmer's resignation, Trump first said Starmer was a 'lovely man' and 'sort of a friend of mine' but added that he told him, 'you're really messing up energy.'
'You have windmills all over the place,' the President explained. 'In the meantime, you have the North Sea oil and they won't let anybody drill.'
President Donald Trump (center left) and First Lady Melania Trump (left) pose for a picture alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (center right) and his wife Victoria (right) at a paratrooper demonstration outside of Chequers in September 2025
The men started well but Trump was highly critical of his policies and leadership in public (pictured together at the G7 summit in Canada)
Trump then complained how Starmer was 'not good to us with NATO,' suggesting that it hurt the prime minister politically.
'I mean, I wish him well, but he's got two problems - energy and immigration. And crime. But energy and immigration,' Trump said.
The President moved on to another topic, but came back to Starmer again when asked about his scheduled meeting this week with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
That prompted his 'Churchill' quip and a brief rant about how NATO members refused to help him after the US and Israel started a joint operation against Iran in late February.
'Starmer said worse than no,' Trump recalled. 'He said, we'll be there as soon as you win. I said, "We don't need you as soon as we win."