The UK-US special relationship: between a Trump rock and a Brexit hard place

Donald Trump’s presidency from the 20 January 2017 poses uncomfortable questions for Britain about the future of the UK-US ‘special relationship’. As Tim Oliver and Mike Williams argue in a new LSE IDEAS Strategic Update, the fact that even the core elements of the relationship look set to be strained mean Britain is likely to find itself caught between a Trump rock and a Brexit hard place.

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Further information sources below also discuss the significance of the visit by UK Prime May Theresa May to meet Donald Trump on the 27 January 2017 - the first face to face meeting by a major political leader since Mr Trump became US President.

Mrs May also addressed the Republican Party conference in Philadelphia on the 26 January 2017 and spoke about the special relationship between the UK and the USA.

• Primary Source

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

LSE: LSE Ideas: Analysis: Strategic Update, January 2017: Making the 'Special Relationship' Great Again? http://www.lse.ac.uk/IDEAS/publications/Strategic-Updates/TrumpUK.aspx

Carnegie Europe: Strategic Europe, 20.01.17: Trump’s Troubling Bilateralism http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/67748

ECFR: Commentary, 18.01.17: May's vision for Brexit fails to see the big picture http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_mays_vision_for_brexit_ignores_the_bigger_picture

BuzzFeed, 20.01.17: EU Governments Are Nervous About What A Trump–May Relationship Could Mean https://www.buzzfeed.com/albertonardelli/eu-governments-are-nervous-about-what-a-trumpmay-relationshi

The Economist, 28.01.17: Britain’s excruciating embrace of Donald Trump shows how little independence it has gained from Brexit http://www.economist.com/news/britain/21715652-leaving-european-union-means-country-has-less-not-more-control-over-its

ESO: Background information: Britain is Caught Between Trump and a Hard Place http://www.europeansources.info/record/britain-is-caught-between-trump-and-a-hard-place/

The Conversation, 16.01.17: Why a speedy US-UK trade deal is easier said than done https://theconversation.com/why-a-speedy-us-uk-trade-deal-is-easier-said-than-done-71356

Euro|Topics: Debates, January 2017: What will relations between May and Trump be like? http://www.eurotopics.net/en/173444/what-will-relations-between-may-and-trump-be-like

ECFR: Commentary, 26.01.17: Mrs May goes to Washington http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_mrs_may_goes_to_washington_7224

UK: GOV.UK: Speech, 26.01.17: Prime Minister's speech to the Republican Party conference 2017 https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/prime-ministers-speech-to-the-republican-party-conference-2017

The Guardian, 27.01.17: Theresa May's Trump meeting 'could sour Brexit negotiations' https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jan/27/theresa-mays-trump-meeting-could-sour-brexit-negotiations

UK: GOV.UK: Speech, 27.01.17: PM press conference with US President Donald Trump: 27 January 2017 https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-press-conference-with-us-president-donald-trump-27-january-2017

BBC News, 28.01.17: Theresa May visit: UK and US 'committed' to Nato http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38777263

The Guardian, 27.01.17: [Commentary]: The lady's not for turning away: Theresa May's message for America https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jan/27/the-ladys-not-for-turning-away-theresa-mays-message-for-america

Politico, 27.01.17: 5 takeaways from the May-Trump talks http://www.politico.eu/article/5-takeaways-from-the-theresa-may-donald-trump-talks-special-relationship/

The Conversation, 27.01.17: Theresa May meets Donald Trump: talking up a special relationship to hide problems beneath https://theconversation.com/theresa-may-meets-donald-trump-talking-up-a-special-relationship-to-hide-problems-beneath-71969

Royal United Services Institute (RUSI): Commentary, 27.01.17: Are Theresa and Donald the New Maggie and Ronald? https://rusi.org/commentary/are-theresa-and-donald-new-maggie-and-ronald

EurActiv, 30.01.17: UK agrees ‘immediate’ post-Brexit talks with US, leaving EU high and dry http://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/news/uk-agrees-immediate-post-brexit-talks-with-us-leaving-eu-high-and-dry/

Blog: Open Europe, 30.01.17: A European in Washington? How Europe views Theresa May’s meeting with President Trump http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/a-european-in-washington-how-europe-views-theresa-mays-meeting-with-president-trump/

Blog: Open Europe, 31.01.17: Engagement and dialogue with America http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/engagement-and-dialogue-with-america/

The Conversation, 01.02.17: Theresa May must decide: is she with Trump or against him? https://theconversation.com/theresa-may-must-decide-is-she-with-trump-or-against-him-72218

BBC News, 07.02.17: Speaker John Bercow criticised over Donald Trump comments http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38889941

The Guardian, 06.02.17: Donald Trump should not be allowed to speak in UK parliament, says Speaker https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/feb/06/donald-trump-should-not-be-allowed-to-speak-in-westminster-hall-says-speaker

Deutsche Welle, 19.02.17: Trump's planned UK state visit divides Brits http://dw.com/p/2Xg36

Carnegie Europe: Strategic Europe, 21.02.17: May’s Myopic Gamble With Trump http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/68074

UK: Parliament: Hansard: Debate on Petition, 21.02.17: President Trump: State Visit https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2017-02-20/debates/34847E5C-8B14-46E6-8251-AE99526CC011/PresidentTrumpStateVisit

UK: Petition: Prevent Donald Trump from making a State Visit to the United Kingdom. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/171928

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