Trump trips up May as she bids to sell Brexit deal

US President Donald Trump warned the Brexit deal could undermine UK-US trade just as the British prime minister launched a nationwide tour to whip up support Tuesday for an agreement that has divided Britain. Theresa May headed to Wales and Northern Ireland, hours after Trump said it seemed like a “great deal” for the EU that could block Britain from striking its own trade agreement with the United States.

May has two weeks to convince the public, and, crucially, a divided parliament, before a vote in the House of Commons on December 11 that risks ending in a humiliating defeat and sinking the deal. Trump warned that the terms of the deal might block a future trade deal between London and Washington and suggested May had made a mistake. “Sounds like a great deal for the EU,” he said at the White House, adding: “we have to take a look at seriously whether or not the UK is allowed to trade”.

“As the deal stands, they may not be able to trade with the US and I don’t think they want that at all. That would be a very big negative for the deal,” said the president, who is close to leading Brexiteers in the UK. “I don’t think that the prime minister meant that and hopefully she’ll be able to do something about that.”