Cameron was right to visit the creaking, gaudy court of Trump
Evening Standard|April 10, 2024
DONALD TRUMP’S gaudy, gold-plated palace at Mar-a-Lago is a court, where the Florida king treats his visitors as supplicants, not deal-makers.
Sarah Baxter
Cameron was right to visit the creaking, gaudy court of Trump

His mantelpiece is stuffed with the trophy heads of penitent critics who have had to swallow their pride and appeal for his help. Sometimes Trump grants favours but more often he collects scalps. One of these now belongs to the Foreign Secretary. But never mind. Lord Cameron was right to try to persuade Trump to help Ukraine.

Lord Cameron, a Tory grandee who used to meet the late Queen regularly as prime minister, reportedly charmed Trump with whimsical memories of her, but walked away empty-handed. I’m sure Trump didn’t care a jot that Lord Cameron called the former US president “protectionist, xenophobic, misogynistic” in his memoirs. More likely it made Cameron’s act of atonement seem all the sweeter. But on Brexit, Russia and Ukraine, they couldn’t be further apart.

As Marjorie Taylor Greene, the QAnon queen of Congress, put it undiplomatically: Lord Cameron can “kiss my ass”. Trump will have felt exactly the same about our “globalist” foreign secretary. To add to the snub, Mike Johnson, the weak, embattled Republican speaker of the House, declined to meet Lord Cameron in Washington yesterday. Yet there was some point to the Foreign Secretary’s Mar-a-Lago visit. Ukraine desperately needs Congress to release $60 billion in further aid to Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelensky, under huge military pressure from Russia, said starkly on Sunday: “If the Congress doesn’t help Ukraine, Ukraine will lose the war.” As Lord Cameron said in Washington: “Future generations are going to look back on us and say, ‘Did we do enough?’”

This story is from the April 10, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the April 10, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM EVENING STANDARDView All
McKenna and Amorim playing a waiting game over Poch's future
Evening Standard

McKenna and Amorim playing a waiting game over Poch's future

RUBEN AMORIM and Kieran McKenna are both waiting in the wings in case Chelsea opt to make a managerial change this week.

time-read
2 mins  |
May 20, 2024
My record breakers can get even better, Pep warns rivals
Evening Standard

My record breakers can get even better, Pep warns rivals

PEP GUARDIOLA has warned Arsenal that his record-breaking Manchester City side can improve again, even after claiming four consecutive Premier League titles.

time-read
2 mins  |
May 20, 2024
Warren’s warning as Fury calls for rematch
Evening Standard

Warren’s warning as Fury calls for rematch

TYSON FURY is prone to dramatic pronouncements in the immediate aftermath of his fights, twice calling time on his career before performing a U-turn.

time-read
2 mins  |
May 20, 2024
Oil prices rise amid defensive moves after death of Iran president
Evening Standard

Oil prices rise amid defensive moves after death of Iran president

LONDON'S FTSE 100 kept positive today, staying within reach of last week's record high, but there was a defensive feel to the leaderboard with traders keeping watch on news out of the Middle East.

time-read
1 min  |
May 20, 2024
O’Leary slams air traffic control in Europe as Ryanair profits soar
Evening Standard

O’Leary slams air traffic control in Europe as Ryanair profits soar

THE boss of Ryanair today took aim at Europe's beleaguered air traffic control system as profits at the budget airline soared to nearly €2 billion.

time-read
2 mins  |
May 20, 2024
A breath of fresn air
Evening Standard

A breath of fresn air

Anew hotel in the Dolomites is putting wellbeing at the forefront, with sauna rituals, forest bathing and relaxing hikes with spellbinding views.

time-read
4 mins  |
May 20, 2024
Between the Lines
Evening Standard

Between the Lines

Take the sleeper train to the Scottish Highlands to strike out on an adventure through some of the wildest, most remote terrain in Europe.

time-read
8 mins  |
May 20, 2024
Thyroid disease: the crisis no one talks about
Evening Standard

Thyroid disease: the crisis no one talks about

One in eight women will develop a thyroid condition in their lifetime. Katie Strick opens up about her six-year rollercoaster

time-read
7 mins  |
May 20, 2024
Why Find My Friends is the healthiest social media
Evening Standard

Why Find My Friends is the healthiest social media

WHEN it comes to curating his home screen, my dad has only two forms of social media he's bothered about Strava and Find My Friends reckon he's onto something

time-read
2 mins  |
May 20, 2024
Angel wings and bras? Please, the world has moved on diamond-encrusted
Evening Standard

Angel wings and bras? Please, the world has moved on diamond-encrusted

IF you thought we'd evolved past being entertained by grown women wearing giant wings to flog cheap knickers, I'm sorry to report that we've not yet reached that level of human maturity.

time-read
2 mins  |
May 20, 2024