Trump and Andy Burnham meet for first time in New York on sidelines of UN General Assembly

Donald Trump and Andy Burnham met for the first time in New York on Tuesday, holding talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The encounter was followed by brief public remarks and questions from reporters, with both men striking a positive tone about the exchange. Trump said he believed Burnham would be a "great prime minister" and described him as having "a lot of assets on his side." Burnham, in turn, thanked the president and said the pair had established a "good connection." The meeting covered Ukraine, the Falkland Islands and trade, according to Burnham.

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Trump said the two had already spoken several times by phone before meeting in person, and he described Burnham as a "natural businessperson." Burnham said the discussion also touched on immigration, a politically sensitive issue in both countries. He said the UK was continuing to deal with migrant boats arriving from continental Europe and added that crossings were down by about 50% over the summer compared with six years ago. The exchange came during the annual gathering of world leaders in New York, where bilateral meetings often take place alongside the main UN programme.

Trump also used the appearance to criticise the previous UK government, saying relations with the country were "more up now" under Burnham. He also attacked the government's Chagos Islands deal, calling it "terrible." The proposed arrangement would transfer sovereignty over the islands to Mauritius and includes the UK-US Diego Garcia military base. The meeting matters because it offered an early public signal about the tone of relations between Trump and Burnham.

Burnham took office in late July, and the encounter suggests he is seeking to build direct ties with Washington at an early stage. For Trump, the comments continued a pattern of using high-profile international appearances to comment on domestic politics in allied countries. The discussion of trade, Ukraine and the Falklands also showed that the meeting touched on issues with both diplomatic and economic implications.

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The public warmth was notable because immigration has been a recurring political flashpoint for Trump, who has previously criticised the UK's approach to the issue. Burnham's comments on migrant crossings were framed as part of a broader domestic challenge, but they also placed the issue within a transatlantic context. The reference to the Falkland Islands and the Chagos deal added a territorial and strategic dimension to the conversation.

That made the meeting more than a simple courtesy call, even though no formal agreement was announced. What remains unclear is whether the positive tone will translate into any concrete policy movement on trade, Ukraine or other shared issues. It is also not known whether the two leaders will meet again soon or whether their phone contacts will continue at the same pace.

For now, the encounter appears to have established a working first impression, but the practical impact of the discussion will depend on what follows in the coming weeks. The next signs to watch will be any further statements from either side on the issues raised in New York.

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