Boris Johnson 'relieved' to see back of Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump (left) with Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Photograph: Steve Parsons/PA. - Credit: PA

The former head of the UK’s civil service has claimed that Boris Johnson will be “relieved” to see the back of Donald Trump as US president.

Lord Sedwill, who served as cabinet secretary from 2018 to 2020, wrote in the Daily Mail that another term for Trump “would not have been to the benefit of British or European security (or) to transatlantic trade, let alone the environmental agenda to which the prime minister is so committed”.

Lord Sedwill said Joe Biden’s election win brought “relief” to Western leaders that “normal diplomatic relationships will be restored” following the president-elect’s inauguration on Wednesday.

He continued: “Those of us who regard ourselves as close American allies have badly missed US leadership over the past four years.

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“Mr Biden’s administration will reset priorities much more in line with those of his former boss, Barack Obama. He will re-engage with democracies and global institutions – such as the World Health Organisation and the World Trade Organisation – that Mr Trump despised and disrupted.

“He will revive arms control negotiations with Iran and Russia, and rejoin the Paris treaty, which is crucial to the prospects for this year’s climate change conference in Glasgow. With Brexit accomplished and the Biden administration ready to re-engage, this is the moment for ‘Global Britain’ to step up to that challenge.”

The prime minister has gone to many efforts not to criticise Trump during his leadership. However, he has been more vocal in recent weeks, rebuking Trump for inciting supporters to storm the Capitol and for continuing to question the legitimacy of the US election.

Johnson told a Downing Street press conference on January 7: “Insofar as he encouraged people to storm the Capitol and insofar as the president consistently has cast doubt on the outcome of a free and fair election I believe that that was completely wrong.”