Senior UK politicians who previously condemned Donald Trump have moderated their language as he prepares to return to the White House, mindful of the need to maintain the special relationship. Many have shifted from strong past statements to more diplomatic tones, congratulating him on his election victory.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who once called the January 6 Capitol attack 'a direct attack on democracy', has since praised his 'good relationship' with Trump after meeting him in September. Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who labelled Trump a 'neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath' in 2018, now hails the US as 'the UK's greatest friend' and attended a dinner with Trump in New York.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who tweeted in 2017 she was 'not a Trump fan', congratulated him on his 'historic election victory'. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage remains Trump's strongest advocate, though he has distanced himself from Trump's claims of a stolen election. Scottish First Minister John Swinney, who urged Americans to vote for Kamala Harris, offered congratulations after the result, pledging to uphold shared values.
Labour MP Emily Thornberry, who previously called Trump a 'sexual predator and a racist', told the BBC she still holds that view but stressed the need to work with him. London Mayor Sadiq Khan, a frequent Trump target, acknowledged anxiety among Londoners about the outcome but offered no congratulations.
