Boris Johnson’s “toxic” nature is likely to put a strain on a Joe Biden presidency, a prominent Democrat adviser has warned.
Max Bergmann, a senior fellow with the Centre for American Progress, told the Times that Johnson’s credibility has fallen across the pond as a result of his Brexit support, and the administration could turn away from Brexit entirely.
“A Johnson government needs to rebuild its credibility with the US, which has been shaken by Brexit and the machinations over the past four years.”
He added: “If the UK is able to reach an agreement with the EU that would put them on the front foot of establishing a very good relationship with a Biden administration.
“The US will want the UK to be an important player in Europe. That means not having the UK and EU at each other’s throats.”
Another source close to the Biden camp warned: “There’s definitely a real Boris problem, he’s toxic to some of these people.
“They frame him through his relationship with Trump. They just think he’s Britain’s Trump.”
Obama’s national security aide Ben Rhodes also recently claimed Johnson was unlikely to be his “special friend” in Europe.
He said: “I’m old enough to remember when Boris Johnson said Obama opposed Brexit because he was Kenyan.”
Biden called the PM “kind of a physical and emotional clone of the president” last year.
It comes after Democratic congressman Brendan Boyle warned: “If Biden wins, Boris would be losing another major world leader who sings from the same hymnal when it comes to tearing down institutions and pushing back on multilateralism.
“He’d be losing a pretty big ally in that regard.”