![\"\"](\"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2.44832018.jpg\")
Donald Trump is \u201cvery gung-ho\u201d about a major UK-US trade deal, Boris Johnson said after the two leaders had their first formal meeting.<\/p>\nDonald Trump is \u201cvery gung-ho\u201d about a major UK-US trade deal, Boris Johnson said after the two leaders had their first formal meeting.<\/p>\n
The UK Prime Minister was praised by the US President as the \u201cright man for the job\u201d of delivering Brexit and was promised a \u201cvery big trade deal\u201d as the pair met in the margins of the G7 summit in Biarritz.<\/p>\n
But Mr Johnson played down the prospects of a transatlantic deal being concluded within a year, as he believes Washington wants.<\/p>\n
He warned that a deal with the \u201cprotectionist\u201d US would not be \u201cplain sailing\u201d.<\/p>\n
In a sign of the close relationship between the two leaders, Mr Trump said he had long held his positive views on Mr Johnson\u2019s suitability for being Prime Minister, which \u201cdidn\u2019t make your predecessor very happy\u201d.<\/p>\n
Both leaders were keen to stress their desire for a trade deal after the UK has left the European Union.<\/p>\n
The president said: \u201cWe\u2019re going to do a very big trade deal, bigger than we\u2019ve ever had with the UK and now at some point they won\u2019t have the obstacle, they won\u2019t have the anchor around their ankle, because that\u2019s what they have.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Mr Johnson has raised a series of areas where he wants concessions from Washington.<\/p>\n
The president said he wanted a deal done \u201cquickly\u201d because in the past he had been \u201cstymied\u201d under Theresa May.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cThis is a different person and this is a person that\u2019s going to be a great Prime Minister, in my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Mr Johnson told the president there would be \u201ctough talks\u201d ahead.<\/p>\n
Asked if he had made clear his views on protecting the NHS and animal welfare standards in trade talks with Mr Trump, the Prime Minister told the PA news agency: \u201cThere is complete unanimity on that point.\u201d<\/p>\n
The UK Prime Minister also warned Mr Trump against escalating his trade war with China.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are in favor of trade peace on the whole,\u201d he said as the two leaders and their teams had a working breakfast at the Hotel du Palais.<\/p>\n
In a series of broadcast interviews, Mr Johnson played down the prospect of a rapid deal.<\/p>\n
He told ITV: \u201cThere\u2019s an opportunity to do a great free trade deal with the United States.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe president is very gung-ho about that and so am I.\u201d<\/p>\n
But he added that \u201cI don\u2019t think people realize quite how protectionist\u201d the US market can be.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey want to do it within a year, I\u2019d love to do it within a year, but that\u2019s a very fast timetable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The two leaders agreed to set up a working group focused on closer economic links.<\/p>\n
US director of the National Economic Council Larry Kudlow and UK Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill have been directed to set up the special relationship economic working group (SREWG).<\/p>\n
\u201cThe SREWG will develop market-oriented principles for economic growth and increase bilateral cooperation on issues related to the modern 21st century economy,\u201d the White House and Number 10 said in a joint statement.<\/p>\n
Mr Johnson also had talks on Brexit at the G7 with European Council President Donald Tusk.<\/p>\n
A senior UK official said the pair would meet again in September at the United Nations General Assembly.<\/p>\n
The official said: \u201cThe Prime Minister repeated that the UK will be leaving the EU on October 31, whatever the circumstances. We must respect the referendum result.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Johnson said the UK would work in an \u201cenergetic and determined way to get a better deal and we are very willing to sit down to talk with the EU and member states about what needs to be done to achieve that.\u201d<\/p>\n