US President Donald Trump hopes to have a good relationship with Russia to fight the “evil” Islamic State, he told reporters after meeting UK Prime Minister Theresa May. She said the US is committed to NATO and the special relationship with Britain.
Among the topics of the discussion, May said, were fighting Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL or Daesh), and dealing with Syria and Russia. The PM extended Trump the official invitation from the queen to visit the UK later this year.
Trump “confirmed he’s 100 percent behind NATO,” May told reporters.
Trump also expressed the hope he would have a “fantastic relationship” with Russia’s President Putin, but he said he understands that it might not happen.
“We’ll see what happens,” Trump told a reporter asking about the topics of Saturday’s scheduled talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “We look to have a great relationship with all countries, ideally.”
“We believe the sanctions should continue until we see the Minsk agreement fully implemented,” May said.
Further pressed about his possible policy on Russia, Trump said, that IS is an “evil that has to be stopped,” and that he hoped to do so together with Moscow.
"I will be representing the American people very strongly” in talks with Putin, Trump said.
“I think we’re going to get along very well,” Trump told a British reporter skeptical of his talks with May.
He also pointed out that he foresaw the victory of Brexit last year. “I think Brexit’s going to be a wonderful thing for your country.”
While repeating his personal belief that interrogation tactics like waterboarding – widely denounced as torture and banned under current US laws – are effective, Trump said his Defense Secretary James Mattis is categorically opposed to them.
“I don't necessarily agree, but I would tell you that he will override [me] because I'm giving him that power," Trump said of Mattis, who was granted a special waiver by Congress in order to become the civilian leader of the US military, because he retired in 2013 and would otherwise not be eligible.