The Prime Minister said she could discuss reducing trade barriers before Brexit as she confirmed she was to be the first world leader to meet the President next week.
Speaking to the BBC’s Andrew Marr show, Theresa May also said the White House meeting would allow them to discuss the future trade.
Mrs May said: “We can look at areas even in advance of being able to sign a formal trade deal. Perhaps we could look at barriers to trade at the moment and remove some of those barriers to open up that new trading relationship.”
Despite President Trump delivering a thundering speech at his inauguration where he vowed to put America first, the PM said she was “confident” of striking a trade deal.
She told the BBC host: “I think his inauguration speech had a very clear message to it, which is the message that he gave during his campaign, about putting America first.
SKY • BBC
Theresa May confirmed she is meeting President Trump on Friday
“But if you think about it, any leader, any government as we do here in the United Kingdom, when we look at any issue, we ensure we’re putting the UK’s interests and interests of British people first.
“I shall be meeting him on Friday and talking to him. There will be many issues for us to talk about because obviously, the special relationship between the UK and the US has been strong for many years.
“We will have an opportunity to talk about our possible future trading relationship but also some of the world challenges that we all face. Issues like defeating terrorism, the conflict in Syria.”
Mrs May added: “What I think is important is that when I sit down with Donald Trump, I’m going to be able to talk about how we can build on that special relationship.
Trump already said he wants to see a very strong relationship between the UK and the US
Theresa May
“He has already said to me he wants to see a very strong relationship between the UK and the US going into the future.”
Mrs May's comments were came as the European Union ordered the PM not to discuss trade before triggering Article 50.
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Her response is likely to infuriate Eurocrats who are determined to restrict UK's trade talks while still a member state.
The Prime Minister’s hope for “straight talk” comes as the Sunday Express revealed President Trump has taken to calling Mrs May “My Maggie” and wants her to officially unveil the bust of Winston Churchill in the Oval Office during her visit to Washington.
Mrs May was initially set to visit America next month, but the meeting was pushed forward as a Whitehall source said both sides wanted “to capture the Reagan-Thatcher idea: A new populist in the White House and a strong woman in Number 10”.
Mrs May she said being a female Prime Minister and the first foreign leader to meet with President Trump since his inauguration will be the "biggest statement" she can make about the role of women in the world.
The best photos from Donald Trump's historic inauguration
Mon, January 23, 2017
The inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States will mark the commencement of the four-year term of Donald Trump as President and Mike Pence as Vice President. A public ceremony will be held on Friday, January 20, 2017.
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President Donald Trump waves as he walks with first lady Melania Trump and son Barron during the inauguration parade.
The PM’s insistence her role as a leading female politician was of great importance of strengthening the special relationship comes as tens of thousands of women took to the streets on Saturday to demonstrate against the billionaire businessman.
Continuing, the PM said she would not shy away from confronting the controversial President if he said something “unacceptable”.
“I’ve already said some of the comments Donald Trump has made in relation to women are unacceptable. some of them himself has apologised for,” Mrs May said.
“I think the biggest statement that will be made about the role of women is the fact that I will be there as a female Prime Minister, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom talking to him, directly talking to him about the interests that we share.”
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