Nigel Farage has urged the Labour government to “roll out the red carpet” for Donald Trump, following his victory in the US election.
The Republican beat Vice President Kamala Harris in a historic political comeback, and will re-enter the White House in January to begin his second term as leader.
Speaking to GB News from Palm Beach in Florida, the Reform UK leader revealed Trump was “laid back” and “resilient” as the election results rolled in, hailing the win as “extraordinary”.
Analysing the election outcome with GB News political editor Christopher Hope, Farage said: “I was very bullish about what I thought Trump’s prospects were for the day, and boy, was I right. It was extraordinary being in that ballroom last night.
Donald Trump has been hailed by Nigel Farage following his US election win
Reuters / GB News
“Trump was sitting in the middle, family and very close friends around him, Elon Musk very prominent indeed. And it kind of started off cautiously optimistic, and then it became just uproarious, it was a really it was a proper party.”
Revealing more about how Trump reacted to the results throughout the night, Farage admitted that the White House hopeful was “so laid back” and “dispassionately looking at the screens”.
He added: “Whether you like him or not, he is just the most resilient, most extraordinary bloke. I spoke to him very briefly last night and sent him a message today.”
When questioned on what Trump’s victory means for the UK and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s relationship with the incoming President, Farage urged the Labour Government to “roll out the red carpet” and spark talks “as soon as possible” with the Trump administration.
Donald Trump won the US election after an initially tight race against Vice President Kamala Harris
GB News
Farage told GB News: “We have the prospect of a Trump government bringing in quite big tariffs for all foreign imports, something that we need to deal with by getting involved in negotiations as quickly as we reasonably can – and that means rolling out the red carpet.
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“I’m pleased to see that Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has said he looks forward to the American president addressing both houses of Parliament next year when he comes on a visit, so that’s at least a start. But we do need to get talking to the Trump transition team as soon as those big positions such as trade are appointed.”
When pressed on whether he will have a key role to play in the bridge between Trump and Starmer’s relationship, the Reform UK leader admitted: “When he appoints his cabinet, I’m probably going to know quite a few of them personally quite well, so I do think that I might have a role to play in helping and helping to break down those barriers.
“Don’t forget, there are such fundamental disagreements politically. America is the biggest foreign investor in the UK and vice versa. There is an essential national interest that we resolve these things to the satisfaction of both sides, and if I can help in any way at all to break down some of those barriers, I’ll do so.”
However, Farage made clear that he will not be taking on the role of US Ambassador to the UK, affirming that he is “not going to be the ambassador for a Labour government – that’s never going to happen”.
Nigel Farage told GB News that Donald Trump is an ‘extraordinary’ and ‘resilient’ man
GB News
Asked for his thoughts on the possible candidate for the ambassador role, Lord Peter Mandelson, Farage was skeptical, telling GB News: “Peter Mandelson is a very clever man, whether you agree with him or not.
“He’s a very clever man who I watched him in the European Commission, master his brief, and whether he’s quite the kind of guy that can bowl into the Oval Office and speak to Donald Trump I’m not 100% sure he’s the right guy.
“But at least he would be respected because he’s got a good brain.”