The Guardian
· collected 2026-09-22 · by Pippa Crerar in New York and Kiran Stacey in London
Donald Trump has asserted his relationship with the UK is “more up” with Andy Burnham than under Keir Starmer despite tensions between the two countries on a range of thorny issues including regulation of artificial intelligence, the Chagos islands and the war in Iran.
asserted
relationship → assert → Iran
At their first face-to-face meeting, the US president praised Burnham, who sat nervously alongside him, as a “natural businessperson”, saying he thought he had “lots of assets on his side” and would be a “great” prime minister.
asserted
he → praise → side
Burnham, who was joined in the talks by Ed Miliband, the foreign secretary, and Jonathan Powell, his national security adviser, said he and Trump had built on the “good connection” they established early on, in an effort to shore up relations which had splintered over Iran.
asserted
which → join → Iran
UK officials reacted with relief that the talks appeared to have gone according to plan.
uncertain
talks → react → plan
On his way to the US, Burnham had revealed he would urge the US president to de-escalate the Iran conflict, with turmoil in the Middle East pushing up global energy prices, putting the UK economy under intense pressure.
asserted
turmoil → reveal → pressure
Much of the summit has been dominated by geopolitical turbulence, with Trump using his speech to double down on his strategy.
asserted
Trump → dominate → strategy
The president repeated his threat to “annihilate” Iran, adding he would “drive them into hell” if they did not back down and sign a peace deal with the US.
asserted
they → repeat → US
Asked later whether he had any sympathy with allies which were feeling pain over the cost of living as a result of his actions, Trump claimed that “as soon as the war is over the prices are going to come way down”.
asserted
prices → ask → actions
Trump, who has suggested Iran could agree to a deal after the US midterms in November, said “people understand” the need to prevent Tehran obtaining a nuclear weapon, even if that meant price hikes at the petrol pumps and in shops.
uncertain
that → suggest → shops
In his own UN speech, Burnham was expected to push for greater international control over AI.
asserted
Burnham → expect → AI
He revealed to business leaders that he wants a “single set of global principles and standards” to guard against rogue AI, saying the issue would be a main focus of the UK’s G20 presidency next year.
asserted
issue → reveal → presidency
But Burnham’s ambition for the UK to be an “honest broker” between countries in that could set him on a collision course with Trump, who has called warnings about AI’s existential threat to humanity a “hoax” and gave a defiant speech in which he intensified his criticism of attempts to regulate the emerging technology.
uncertain
he → set → technology
“The United States also totally rejects any attempt to construct a globalist scheme to control for the artificial intelligence being spoken of so much now.
asserted
States → reject → intelligence
We’re going to encourage it, not rein it in,” he said.
asserted
he → go → it
“Americans have never been a nation that retreats from a frontier or shrinks from a challenge, no matter how great or how daunting that challenge may be …
uncertain
challenge → retreat → challenge
I’m not going to stifle growth of something that will be bigger than the Industrial Revolution.”
asserted
that → go → Revolution
Burnham is also under pressure to sign up to an initiative being led by Finland and Norway – and backed by more than 20 countries – to bar AI companies from launching their models commercially without submitting them for safety testing first, amid growing concerns over the risks.
asserted
Burnham → sign → risks
In another schism between the two countries, Trump was scathing about the UK’s deal to give away sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while paying for a lease of the military base of Diego Garcia.
asserted
Trump → give → Garcia
“I don’t support it.
asserted
I → support → it
I think it’s terrible.
asserted
it → think → ?
[Mauritius] all of a sudden say they have ownership.
asserted
they → say → ownership
Somebody has ownership that never showed up before after decades and centuries.
asserted
that → have → decades
I think it’s ridiculous,” he said.
asserted
he → think → ?
But he suggested that Burnham may reconsider the deal.
uncertain
Burnham → suggest → deal
“It’s amazing how strategic it is, and I think the prime minister is going to be looking at it,” he said, to which the UK leader nodded and said “yeah”.
asserted
leader → ’ → which
However, Trump avoided commenting on the UK’s decision to ban trade with West Bank settlements, leaving it to the prime minister to answer the question.
asserted
Trump → avoid → question
He is also understood to have agreed to a request from Burnham to bring up the case of imprisoned Hong Kong dissident Jimmy Lai in talks with China’s Xi Jinping on Thursday.
asserted
He → understand → Thursday
British officials in the meeting suggested Lai could live in the UK.
uncertain
Lai → suggest → UK
UK officials had been somewhat nervous about the meeting, as Trump had previously dismissed Burnham as “extremely liberal” and described the former mayor of Greater Manchester as the “mayor of a town”.
asserted
Trump → dismiss → town
But it appeared to have gone to plan for both sides, with Trump praising US-UK relations, saying: “I think you’re up.
asserted
you → appear → relations
Well, they’re more now than they were with your last prime minister, let me put it that way.
asserted
me → ’re → it
“I think right now, based on my relationship with your prime minister, Andy, I think we’re doing very well.”
asserted
we → think → minister
Later in the press conference, Trump hit back at reporters questioning why he has banned some journalists from the White House, leading to a wider boycott by media organisations.
asserted
he → hit → organisations
The president claimed he had a “right to clean out fake news”.
asserted
he → claim → news
In his UN speech, Trump promised there would be peace between Ukraine and Russia “more quickly than people understand”.
asserted
people → promise → Ukraine
After talks with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, he warned that Starmer’s rhetoric had been “too tough” towards Moscow and that London “needs to be a little bit careful”.
asserted
London → warn → Moscow
Many of Trump’s talking points were contradicted, however, by the UN secretary-general António Guterres, who used his speech to warn about the consequences of international conflict, climate change and AI over the past decade.
asserted
who → contradict → decade
“Geopolitical divides have deepened.
asserted
divides → deepen → ?
Inequalities have intensified.
asserted
Inequalities → intensify → ?
Trust has frayed.
asserted
Trust → fray → ?
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
