ms. may: good afternoon. no two countries do more together than ours to keep their people safe and prosperous. and we want to deepen that cooperation even further to meet the shared challenges we face ow and in years ahead.

just one example of what is today the broadest, deepest and most advanced security cooperation of any two countries in the world. whether it is pilots in syria or defeating dashe, our soldiers at the forefront of nato's presence in eastern european, our navies in the pacific, or our unparalleled intelligence sharing partnerships thwarting attacks, our security cooperation is saving lives here in britain, in america, and right across the world. that partnership is set to grow with our armies integrating to a level unmatched anywhere. and the u.k. set to spend 24ds billion pounds on u.s. equipment and support over the next decade. today we've also discussed how we can deepen our work together to respond to maligned state activity, terrorism and serious crime. in particular on russia, i thanked president trump for his

support in responding to the appalling use of a nerve agent in salisbury, after which he expelled 60 russian intelligence officers. and i welcomed his meeting with president putin in helsinki on monday. we agreed that it is important to engage russia from a position of strength and unity, and that we should continue to deter and counter all efforts to undermine our democracies. turning to our economic cooperation with mutual investment between us, already over $1 trillion, we want to go further. we agreed today that as the u.k. leaves the european union, we will pursue an ambitious u.s.-u.k. free trade agreement. the checkers agreement reached last week provides the lat form for donald and know agree on ambitious deal that works with both countries right across our countries -- economies. a deal that builds on the u.k.'s independent trade policy, financial services cooperation, and as two of the world's most advanced economies, seizing the

opportunity of new technology. all of this will further enhance our economic cooperation, creating new jobs and prosperity for our peoples for generations to come. the u.k.-u.s. relationship is also defined by the role we play on the world stage. doing this means making tough calls. and sometimes being prepared to say things that others might rather not hear. from the outset, president trump has been clear about how he sees the challenges we face. and on many we agree. for example, the need to deal with the longstanding nuclear threat of dprkk -- dprk. to which the u.k. is proud to be contributing expertise. or the need to address the destabilizing influence of iran in the middle east, where today we've discussed what more we can do to push back on iran in yemen and reduce humanitarian suffering. or the need for nato allies to increase their defense spending and capability on which we saw significant increases at

yesterday's summit. this includes afghanistan, where this week i announced a further uplift of 440 u.k. troops, an ongoing commitment to a mission that began as nato's only use of article five, acting in support of the u.s. finally, let me say this about the wider transatlantic relationship. it is all of our responsibilities to ensure that transatlantic unity endures. for it has been fundamental to the protection and projection of our interests and values for generations. with u.s. leadership at its foundation, its beating heart remains our democratic values and our commitment to justice. those values are something that we in the u.k. will always cherish, as i know the u.s. will too. it is the strength of these values and the common interests they create that we seay cross the breadth of our societies in north america and europe. and that is why i'm confident that this transatlantic alliance will continue to be the bedrock of our shared

security and prosperity for years to come. mr. president. president trump: thank you very much. thank you. prime minister, thank you very much. it is my true honor to join you at this remarkable setting. truly magnificent. as we celebrate the special relationship between our two countries. on behalf of the american people, i want to thank you for your very gracious hospitality. thank you very much, teresa. last night melania and i were delighted to to join you and phillip for dinner at the magnificent blenheim palace tfments a wonderful and memorable evening that we will not soon forget. it was really something very special. today it's a true privilege to visit historic checkers that i've heard so much about and read so much about growing up in history class. and to continue our conversation, which has really proceeded along rapidly and well over the last few days. for generations our

predecessors have gathered at this stunning retreat to strengthen a bond that is like no other. the relationship between our two nations is indispensable to the cause of liberty, justice and peace. the united kingdom and the united states are bound together by a common historic heritage, language, and heroes. the traditions of freedom, sovereignty and the true rule of law were our shared gift to the world. they are now our priceless inheritance to a civilization. we must never cease to be united in their defense and in their renewal. before our dinner last night, melania and i joined prime minister may, mr. may, and the duke and duchess of marl bro for a tour of the winston churchill exhibit at blenheim palace. it was something, something very special. it was from right here at checks that are prime minister

churchill phoned president roosevelt after pearl harbor, in that horrific war american and british service members bravely shed their blood alongside one another in defense of home and in defense of freedom. and together we achieved a really special, magnificent victory. and it was total victory. prime minister may and i have just come from a very productive nato summit. that was truly a productive summit. where my top priority was getting other nato members to pay their full and fair share and the prime minister was right there with me. i want to thank you, prime minister, for the united nations' contribution to our common defense, the u.k. is one of the handful of nations, five out of 29, not good, but it's going to get better really fast , in addition to the united states meeting the 2% g.d.p.

minimum defense spending commitment. during the summit, i made clear all nato allies must honor their obligations and i am pleased to report that we have received substantial commitments from members to increase their defense spending and to do so in a much more timely manner. in our meetings today, the prime minister and i discussed a range of shared priorities, including stopping nuclear proliferation. i thanked prime minister may for her partnership in our pursuit of a nuclear-free north korea. been a tremendous help. the prime minister and i also discussed iran. we both agree that iran must never possess a nuclear weapon. and that i must halt, and we must do it and i'm going to do it, and she's going to do it, and we're all going to do it together, we have to stop terrorism. it's the scourge. we have to stop terrorism and we have to get certain

countries, and they've come a long way, i believe, the funding of terrorism has to stop and it has to stop now. i encourage the prime minister to sustain pressure on the regime and she needed absolutely no encouragement because she in fact also encourages me. and we're doing that and we're doing that together. very closely coordinated. the united nations and the yew -- the united kingdom and the united states are also strengthening cooperation between our armed forces who serve together on battlefields all around the world. today the prime minister and i viewed several u.s.-u.k. special forces demonstrations. we saw some demonstrations today, frankly, that were incredible. the talent of these young, brave, strong people. we saw it at the royal military academy. seamless cooperation between our militaries is really just vital to addressing the many shared security threats.

we have threats far different than we've ever had before. they've always been out there, but these are different. and they're severe. and we will handle them well. we also recognize the vital importance of border security and immigration control in order to prevent foreign acts of terrorism within our shores. we must prevent terrorists and their supporters from gaining admission in the first place. order security is a national security problem. and in the united states we are working very hard to get the democrats to give us a couple of votes so we can pass meaningful and powerful border security. i also want to thank prime minister may for pursuing fair and reciprocal trade with the united states. once the brexit process is concluded, and perhaps the u.k. has left the e.u., i don't know what they're going to do, but whatever you do is ok with me.

that's your decision. whatever you're going to do is ok with us. just make sure we can trade together. that's all that matters. the united states looks forward to finalizing a great bilateral trade agreement with the united kingdom. this is an incredible opportunity for our two countries and we will seize it fully. we support the decision of the british people to realize full self-government and we will see how that goes. very complicated negotiation. and not an easy negotiation. that's for sure. a strong and independent united kingdom, like a strong and independent united states, is truly a blessing on the world. prime minister may, i want to thank you again for the honor of visiting the united kingdom, a special place. my mother was born here. so it means something maybe just a little bit extra, maybe even a lot extra. and we had a wonderful visit last night. i think i got to know the prime minister better than at any time. we spent a lot of time together over a year and a half. but last night we really -- i

was very embarrassed for the rest of the table. we just talked about lots of different problems and solutions to those problems and it was a great evening. as we stand together this afternoon at checkers we continue a long tradition of friendship, collaboration, and affection between ourselves and also between our people. the enduring relationship between our nations has never been stronger than now we will -- we're going to take four questions each. i'll start off with laura. reporter: thank you very much, prime minister and mr. president. mr. president, you seem rather to have changed your tune from what you said earlier this week when you said that on the current brexit plan, that would probably kill the possibility of a trade deal with the u.k. our countries are meant to have a special relationship yet you publicly criticized the prime minister's policy and per personally for not listening to you this week. is that really the behavior of a friend? and, prime minister, isn't the

problem for you that some of the things mr. trump has said about your brexit plan are right? it will limit the possibilities of doing trade deals easily in the future? can you also tell us how it felt for him to criticize you in the way he did in that interview? trump: maybe i'll go first because i didn't criticize the prime minister. i have a lot of respect for the prime minister. unfortunately there was a story that was done, which was, you know, generally fine, but it didn't put in what i said about the prime minister and i said tremendous things. fortunately we tend to record stories now. so we have it for your enjoyment if you'd like it. but we record when we deal with reporters. it's called fake news. and we solve a lot of problems with the good, old-fashioned recording instrument. the prime minister is going to make a decision as to what she's going to do. the only thing i ask of teresa is that we make sure we can trade. that we don't have any

restrictions. because we want to trade with and the u.k. wants to trade with us. we're by far their biggest trading partner. we have an opportunity to quadruple that. so if they go a slightly different route, and i know they do want independence, it's going to be independence, it's just -- your definition. but if they're going to go a certain route, i just said that i hope you're going to be able to trade with the united states. i read reports where that won't be possible. but i believe after speaking with the prime minister's people and representatives and trade experts, it will absolutely be possible. based on that, and based on just trade in general, and our other relationship, which will be fine, but the trade is a little bit tricky. we want to be able to trade and they want to be able to trade. and i think we'll be able to do that. ok? and i think she's doing a terrific job, by the way. molly: molly: -- prime minister may: thank you, mr. president.

and just to confirm what the president has said, laura. there will be no limit to the possibility of us doing trade deals around the rest of the world. once we leave the european union. on the basis of the agreement that was made here at checkers and that i've put forward to the european union. and just be clear, that is an agreement that delivers on the brexit vote that we had in 2016 here in the u.k. that delivers what i believe is at the forefront of people's minds when they were voting to leave the european union. so at the end of these negotiations, we will ensure that free movement will come to an end. the jurisdiction of the european court of justice here in the u.k. will come to an end. the sending of vast sums of money every year to the e.u. will come to an end. we will come out of the common agriculture policy, we will come out of the common fishers policy, and will ensure by not being in a customs union that we are able to have an independent trade policy and do those trade deals around the world. as you've heard from the president, the united states is keen for us work, we're keen to work with them and whether he do a trade deal with them and

with others around the rest of the world. president trump: jonathan, go ahead. reporter: mr. president, two questions, if i may. the first one, now your british trip is coming to a close, could you tell us the three or four things you hope to achieve in your meeting with vladimir putin? and the second question, what's the benefit to america of having tens of thousands of american troops stationed in europe? thank you. president trump: so, i'll be meeting with president putin on monday. we go into the meeting with a tremendous meeting that we had with nato. most of you have reported it correctly. it was certainly testy at the beginning but at the end everybody came together and they agreed to do what they should do. and actually what they've committed to do. which you fully adhered. to you didn't have a problem. but some people did. -- adhered to.

you didn't have a problem. but some people did. we left that meeting more unified and wealthier as a group than ever before. so we go in strong. we'll be talking to president putin about a number of things. ukraine. we'll be talking about syria. we'll be talking about other parts of the middle east. i will be talking about nuclear proliferation. because we are massively, you know, you know what we've been doing, we've been modernizing and fixing and buying and it's just a devastating technology. and they likewise are doing a lot. it's a very, very bad policy. we have no choice but we are massively big and they are very big and i'll be talking about nuclear proliferation. that would be a great thing if we could do. it's not only us, it's not only russia and the united states,

the other countries also -- it's other countries also. but we are the two leaders. we would be the leader. they would be second. i guess china would be third. i think we'll all be talking about that. to me, jonathan, i think that would be a tremendous achievement if we could do something on nuclear proliferation. and we'll be talking about other things. i know you'll ask, will we be talking about meddling? and i will absolutely bring that up. i don't think you'll have any, gee, i did it, i did it, you got me. there won't be a perry mason here, i don't think. but you never know what happens. but i will absolutely firmly ask the question. and hopefully we'll have a very good relationship with russia. i think having -- and the prime minister would agree. we have a good relationship with russia and with china and with other countries. that's a good thing. not a bad thing. so hopefully that will happen. reporter: [inaudible] -- the benefit to america. president trump: the troops where, though? where? well, look, there is a benefit.

there's a psychological benefit and there's a military benefit. there's also a benefit not to do it. i was prepared to do things that would have been somewhat harsh yesterday. a lot of people were surprised that nato all came together at the end. and it wasn't a threat. it was just an unfair situation. the united states was paying anywhere from 70% to 90% and i choose 90% depending on the way you want to calculate. we were paying 90% of the cost of nato. and nato is really there for europe much more so than us. it helps europe, no matter what our military people or your military people say, helps europe more than it helps us. that being said, it is a great unifier. we have 29 countries. and there was a lot of love in that room. and we have a lot more than -- you know when you say 10,000 troops. we have a lot more than 10,000 troops. or i thought i saud 10,000. because in germany we have 52,000 troops and we have a lot

of troops in europe. that being said, we're helping europe. they're helping us. we're all together. and i'm fine with it. prime minister may: thank you. president trump: by the way, very importantly, they're now paying their way in a much more rapid fashion. prime minister may: thank you. frances. reporter: prime minister, i wonder whether you agree with the president of the united states that immigration has damaged the cultural fabric of europe and, president, perhaps you could elaborate on that remark. hat do you mean by that? president trump: i think it's been very bad for europe. i think europe is a place i know very well and i think what has happened is very tough. it's a very tough situation. you see the same terror attacks that i do. we see them a lot. we just left some incredible young men, men and women, at sandhearst. they were showing us cells and they were showing us things

that frankly 20 years ago nobody even thought about, probably a lot more recently than that nobody thought about. i think it's changing the culture. i think it's a very negative thing for europe. i think it's very negative. i think having germany and i have a great relationship with angela merkel. great relationship with germany. but i think that's very much hurt germany. i think it's very much hurt other parts of europe. and know it's politically not necessarily correct to say that. but i'll say it and i'll say it loud. and i think they better watch themselves because you are changing culture, you are changing -- changing a lot of things. you're changing security. look what's happening. you take a look. look at what's happening to different countries that never had difficulty, never had problems. it's a very sad situation. it's very unfortunate. but i do not think it's good for europe and i don't think it's good for our country. we're, as you know, far

superior to anything that's happened before, but we have very bad immigration laws. and we're doing incredibly well considering the fact that we virtually don't have immigration laws. we have laws that are so bad, i don't even call them laws. i call them -- it's just like, you just walk across the border. you walk across the border, you put one foot on the land and now you're tied up in a lawsuit for five years. it's the craziest thing anyone's ever seen. so i would just make that recommendation to europe. i've made it very loud and clear. i made it yesterday. 29 countries total. and that's the way i feel. prime minister may: the u.k. has a proud history of welcoming people who are fleeing persecution to our country. we have a proud history of welcoming people who want to come to our country to contribute to our economy and contribute to our society. and over the years, overall immigration has been good for the u.k. it's brought people with different backgrounds, different outlooks here to the

u.k. and has -- we've seen them contributing to our society and to our economy. of course what is important is that we have control of our borders, what is important is that we have a set of rules that enables us to determine who comes into our country. and of course that is what, as a government, we have been doing for a number of years and we'll be able to continue to do in the future. reporter: mr. president, you have spent the week taking on nato allies, criticizing prime minister may on her own soil. and i wonder if -- are you giving russian president vladimir putin the upperhand heading into your talks, given that you are challenging these alliances that he seeks to break up and destroy? president trump: see, that's such dishonest reporting. because, of course it happens to be nbc. which is possibly worse than cnn. possibly. possibly. let me explain something. we have left nato with more money, with more unity, with more spirit than nato probably

has ever had. we have a strong and powerful nato. when i became president we didn't. we had people that weren't paying their bills. we had people that were way down. we had people that weren't following their commitments. in addition to that, we've become an oil exporter, which would not have happened under the past regime or a new regime if it weren't us. we have built up our military, $700 billion, and then next year as you know, $716 billion. when you look at what we've done in terms of russia, i guarantee whoever it is in russia, they're saying, oh, gee, do we wish that trump was not the victor in that election. we have been far tougher on russia than anybody, anybody. and probably than -- look, i'm not going to go down 100 years. but certainly we've been extremely tough on russia. including the fact that when the prime minister called, when they had a horrible thing happen right here, very close

by, she asked, would i do something and i -- maybe i'd let you tell the number and it was far greater than anybody else, including the prime minister. we expelled how many people? 60. germany did three. as an example. so germany, big country, powerful country, they did three. the fake news doesn't want to talk about it. so it really is -- we have been very strong on russia. with all that being said, if i had a relationship with putin, i don't know him, i met him twice, maybe three times, 2 1/2 times, most of you were there when we did. we met him at the g-20 and if we could develop a relationship, which is good for russia, good for us, good for everybody, that would be great. if i had a relationship with china, you know we're in a big trade situation with china as an example, where we're behind every year for many years, $500 billion. just not going to happen anymore. so if we got along with

countries, that's a good thing. if we get along with china, russia, that's a good thing, not a bad thing. reporter: i take your point, but -- [inaudible] -- headlines about the fighting. i take your point about what happened at the end of nato. president trump: the headlines you see isn't the headline. yes, there was fighting because i said, you have to put up more money. we have to be stronger, we have to be unified. the headline he sees isn't what's happening during the morning. the headline he sees is what happened in the afternoon, where we came together as one, where they're putting up billions of dollars more, i'll give you an example. you know this as a confirmed number. $34 billion more was raised since i became president in nato. that means the other 28 countries have put in 34 -- $34 billion more into nato. do you think putin's happy about that? i don't think so. but we have a lot of false reporting in this country. i don't think you have that in your country, do you, prime minister? ok, go ahead.

ask the prime minister. reporter: president trump told the surnings i think the deal she's striking on brexit is not what the people voted for. is he wrong, are you offering up a brexit-lite? and i wonder if we could get a reaction to him saying boris johnson would be a good prime minister? prime minister may: the deal we have put on the table, the agreement we've put on the table, as i said earlier in response to laura's first question, this does deliver on the vote of the british people. the british people voted to leave the european union. and i heard the turn of phrase that the president used earlier. but let me be very clear about this. we will be leaving the european union. and we are leaving on the 29th of march, 2019. as we leave the european union, we will be delivering on what people voted for, an end to free movement, an end to seconding vast amounts of money to the european union -- sending vast amounts of money to the european union every year, an end to the jurisdiction of the european court of justice here in the united kingdom, coming out of the common fisheries policy,

coming out of the common agriculture policy, and ensuring by coming out of the customs union that we can have an independent trade policy that enables us to negotiate trade deals with the united states and with other countries around the rest of the world. that's what the british people voted for and that's what we will be delivering. we will deliver it in a way that protects jobs and livelihoods and meets our commitment to the border between northern ireland and ireland. reporter: [inaudible] president trump: i'll respond. they said unrelated. not related. we have the tape. you can ask sara, get it from sarah. we taped the entire interview. they asked about boris johnson. they said, how would he be as prime minister? i said, he'd be a great prime minister. he's been very nice to me, he's said great things about me as president. he said i'm doing a great job. i am doing a great job, just in case you haven't noticed. boris johnson i think would be a great prime minister. i also said that this

incredible woman right here is doing a fantastic job, a great job. i mean that. and i must say that i have gone to know teresa may much better over the last two days than i've known her over the last year and a half. we've spent more time in the last two days. yesterday i had breakfast, lunch and dinner with her. then i said, what are we doing tomorrow, which is today. oh, you're having breakfast and lunch with teresa may. and i'm going to see you later on again. so -- but i've gotten to know herbert than ever and i think she's a terrific woman. i think she's doing a terrific job. that brexit is a very tough situation. that's a tough deal. between the borders and the entries into the countries and all of the things. so she's going to do the best. the only thing i ask is that she work it out so that we can have very even trade. because we do not have a fair deal with the european union right now on trade. they treat the united states horribly. and that's going to change. and if it doesn't change, they're going to have pay a very big price and they know

what that price is. so they're coming over on july 25 to see me. and hopefully we can work something out. but they have barriers that are beyond belief. barriers where they won't take our farm products they won't take many of our things, including our cars. they charge us tariffs on cars far greater than we charge them. as you know. you know all these things. last year, teresa, we lost d 151 billion -- $151 billion with the european union. we can't have. that we're not going to have that any longer. ok. thank you. reporter: mr. president, how would you characterize your relationship with the united kingdom? more special than with other countries? by the way, on farm products, i think on the prime minister's deal, you wouldn't be allowed to export many of your farm products to the u.k. would that be a problem for you? prime minister, the president said yesterday that he gave you advice about how to negotiate

brexit. that you didn't take that advice. i wondered what that advice was and whether you have any regrets about not taking it? prime minister may: robert, lots of people give me advice about how to negotiate with the european union. my job is getting out there and doing it and that's what i've done. as with we've been going through he's in negotiations there have been scrept cal -- these negotiations there have been skeptics. we have a joint agreement on citizens rights and those other issues. we got the implementation period in march. now we've put forward a proposal that the two proposals the european commission had put forward are not acceptable to the u.k. we have said no to those. and that's why we have put our own proposal on the table for the future. which as i said in answer to one of the questions, delivers on the brexit deal. but also ensures that we can have smooth trade with the european union in the future. in terms of the united states and trade with the united states, there will be questions on some of the trade issues,

about the standards we have here for certain products, and how we want to deal with those in the trade deals. that lab matter for negotiations -- that will be a matter for negotiations. president trump: i would say i give our relationship in terms of grade the highest level of special. so we start off with special. i would give our relationship with the u.k. -- and now, especially after this two days, with your prime minister, i would say the highest level of special. am i allowed to go higher than that? i'm not sure. but it's the highest level of special. they're very special people. it's a very special country. and as i said, i have a relationship because my mother was born in scotland. so very important. as far as the advice, i did give her a suggestion. i wouldn't say advice. and i think she found it maybe too brutal. because i can see that. but i don't know if you remember what i said. i did give her a certain amount of -- i gave her a suggestion, not advice. i wouldn't want to give her advice. i would give her a suggestion.

i could fully understand why she thought it was a little bit tough. and maybe someday she'll do that. if they don't make the right deal, she might very well do what i suggested that she might want to do. but it is not an easy thing. look at the united states. how the european union has taken advantage systemically of the united states on trade. it's a disgrace. so it's not an easy negotiation . reporter: since you attacked cnn, can i ask you a question? president trump: john ronts, go ahead. no, john roberts, go ahead. cnn is fake news. i don't take questions from cnn. cnn is fake news. i don't take questions from cnn. john rockets of fox. let's go to a ale -- roberts of fox. let's go to a real network. reporter: thank you, mr. president. some people have suggested that relations between the united states and russia are at their lowest point since the end of the cold war. you have stated many, many times that you think it's important to have a better relationship with russia. is there any way for relations

between the united states and russia to improve, as long as putin continues to occupy crimea? president trump: yes, i think so. i think i'd have a very good relationship with president putin, if we spent time together. i may wrong. other people have said that, didn't work out. but i'm different than other people. i think that we're being hurt very badly by the -- i would call it the witch hunt. i would call it the rigged witch hunt after watching. so little clips, i didn't get to watch too much because i'm here, it's a different time zone, to put it mildly. after watching the people, the man that was testifying yesterday, i call it the rigged witch hunt. i think that really hurts our country and it really hurts our relationship with russia. i think that we would have a chance to have a very good relationship with russia and a very good chance, a very good relationship with president putin. i would hope so. reporter: but what is your thinking about improving relations with russia while they continue to illegally occupy another country? president trump: well, that was -- yes, they do.

if you're talking about crimea primarily. yeah. but again, president obama failed very badly with crimea. i don't think he would have done that if i were president. he took over crimea and he actually took it over during the obama administration. i think you will admit. reporter: how do you get him out? president trump: we'll have to see what happens. i'm not bad at doing things. if you look at what i've done compared to what other people have done 160 days in, there's nobody even close. i don't believe. so, let's see what happens. but this was an obama disaster. and i think if i were president , he would not have taken over crimea. during the obama administration, he essentially took over crimea. i don't think he would have done that with me as president, john. reporter: i have a question for the prime minister. if i could follow up. you have taken on many things, you say, you're left with by thed obama administration that you say you have fixed. this is something that you

inherited from the obama administration, the occupation of crimea. how do you fix it? president trump: we're going to see what happens. it's a process. if i knew, i wouldn't tell you. because that would put us at a disadvantage. . we'll see what happens, we'll see how it works out, but crimea was another bad hand. i got handed north korea, we're doing very well you saw the letter yesterday, we're doing very well. we haven't had nuclear test, we haven't had missile launches. some sites were blown up and we got back our hostages, our prisoners. even before i left. a lot of good things are happening. there's some good feeling there. it's a process, probably a longer process than anybody would like but i'm used to long processes too. we haven't taken off the sanctions. he sanctions are work we haven't taken them off. but when it comes to crimea, that's something i took over,

there's nothing much i have to say about it, other than we'll look at that just like we're looking at other things i've taken over. i'll fix them. reporter: president trump made suggestions to you on how to deal with brexit, would you offer him suggestions on dealing with putin? prime minister may: we've been talking about this, i welcome the meeting with president putin, but what's important is the president gos in from a position of strength and a position of unity in nato. i think that's very important, obviously we've discussed the activity of russia in many different way, including that use of the nerve agent here on the streets of the united kingdom and the impact that that has had. i welcomed, as i said earlier, the strong response the united states gave to that. we had response from around the world.

i think the important thing is, particularly following the nato summit, the president is going into this meeting with president putin from that position of strength and position of unity around that nato table. jason. reporter: thank you. prime minister, in a comment yesterday, your own m.p.'s sided with donald trump really and said this deal that you signed here is going to be bad for trade. why can't you convince your own m.p.'s it's a good idea? and mr. president, you said it's a tough situation, what would you do? would you be at the point where you'd walk away from talks to show them you mean business? prime minister may: on the issue of trade deals, as i said earlier, what we're negotiating, when we come out of negotiations, i want to see and we will have our ability to have independent trade policy, to set our own tariffs, on the

independent member of the w.t.o., to be able to negotiate trade deals around the world as we will be doing and we're looking obviously at the united states, we're looking at other areas as well. as we said we're looking at issues like the possibility of some trade deals around the pacific area too. we will negotiate those trade deals but i want to have a good trade arrangement with the european union. this isn't either-or. we don't just replace one with the other. the united kingdom is looking for and can negotiate the situation where we can have a good trade relationship with the wrurepeen union, a good trade relationship with the united states and around the rest of the world as well. that is what will be good for job, good for people's livelihoods, good for prosperity here in the u.k. president trump: if you remember, i was opening turnbury the dibefore brexit and we had an unbelievably large noumple reporters there, everybody was there, i guess because of brexit and they all showed up on the

ninth hole overlooking the ocean and i said what's going on? and they only -- all they want t.d. talk about was brexit they asked for my opinion. i think you'll agree, i said i think brexit will happen, it did happen. the reason i felt it was going to happen is because of immigration. i know, i think one of the reasons i got elected was because of immigration. i felt that brexit had the upper hand and most people didn't agree with me. if you remember, barack obama said well, your couldn't rib will have to get on the back of the line if that happens. which i thought was a terrible thing to say, frankly. when i said i thought it was going to happen and it did happen. i also think that as far as negotiating the deal, i probably would have done what my suggestion was to the prime minister but she can always do that she can do that at some point, she can do what i suggested to her. you can't walk away, if she walks away that means she's stuck.

can't walk away. but you can d other things. but she can do what my suggestion was and my suggestion was, you know, respectfully submitted. she will do very well. i think she's a very tough negotiator, i've been watching her over the last couple of day, she's a tough negotiator, very, very smart and determined person. there are a lot of people looking up now aing -- say, gee whiz she left a lot of people in her wake. she's a very smart, very tough, very capable person. and i would much rather have her as my friend than my enemy, that can tell you. reporter: jeff mason from reuters. president trump: i like the hat. reporter: thank you. president trump: and even without it a good, solid head of hair.

reporter: i don't have a good, solid head of hair. president trump: take it off, really. i like you better without the hat. reporter: going into your meeting with president putin on monday, you mentioned denuclearization and syria. can you say what your message will be to him on syria? what would you like him to say especially given assad's gains in the country recently. and on nondenure nuclearization -- and on denuclearization, can you explain how that will happen? president trump: it would be a slow process. it would be us and others would have to come along simultaneously, obviously. but i think that when i -- when the meeting was arranged, we both wanned the meeting, when the meeting was arranged, it was from my standpoint, i didn't go in with high expectations but you may come out with something very exceptional. but the proliferation is a

tremendous -- i mean, to me, it's the biggest problem in the world. nuclear weapons. biggest problem in the world. i understand nuclear. look up dr. john trump at m.i.t., he was my uncle, many, many years a professor. i used to talk nuclear with him, this is many years ago. it's the biggest problem in my opinion this world has, nuclear weapons. if we can do something to substantially reduce them, i mean, ideally get rid of them. maybe that's a dream. but certainly it's a subject that i'll be bringing up with him. and it's also very expensive thing. but that's the least important. so if we can do something. but i didn't go in, and i was telling the prime minister before, i didn't go in with high expectations. we have -- we do have a political problem where, you know, in the united states we have this stupidity going on, pure stupidity, but it makes it

hard to do something with russia. anything you do, it's always going to be, oh, russia, he loves russia. i love the united states. but i love getting along with russia and china and other countries. and it will certainly be something that we bring up and talk about. i think to me it's such a big problem. syria of course i'm going to bring that up, going to bring up ukraine, bring up other subjects also. reporter: about syria, what exactly would you like to hear from him? president trump: the red line in the sand was a problem for us. reporter: what would you like president putin to do now under your watch? president trump: i'm going to talk to him about that before i talk to you. if something happens that will be great. if it doesn't happen -- i'm not going in with high expectations but we may come out with some very surprising things. but relationship is very important. and having relationship with russia and other countries, as i said, a number of times, is --

and i've been say, actually for year, i've been certainly saying it during mir campaign, having relationships with other countries is really a good thing. think that i can't really overestimate how big the meeting was yesterday with nato. we went with something that really was an unfair situation to something that's yubefied, and they had spirit, those people were getting up and in the end, we are committing and we're -- you know, they can't go. it's not like they can go immediately back. they have to go through their parliaments and congresses and representatives and whoever, whatever form they have. but they have to go through an approval process. but i'll tell you what, every single person in that room was gung ho to get it done, get the money in. and even before that as you know, $34 billion. i think that the secretary general is doing a terrific job, by the way. he said yesterday that because of president trump, we've taken

in $34 billion more. for nato. i think the number is actually higher than that. $34 billion more, at least. and again that's nothing that my opponent would have done. my opponent would have, it would have just kept going down. it was going down you see what was happening over the years. numbers were going down. now the numbers way up, now it's going way up higher. that was, and he will tell you hat, that was because of me. prip prime minister may, the president in -- reporter: prime minister may, the president in his time in russia expressed concern about a pipeline between russia and germany. do you share those concerns, and to follow up some other question, do you feel undermined by president trump's comments in "the sun" and about your brexit plan and boris johnson? president prime minister may: i'm sure our brexit plan will

deliver, and we're very clear. as president trump said the possibility and intent we both have to have an ambitious trade teal going forward. i think that's exactly where we'll be going. that's important for both of our countries. we stand shoulder to shoulder with the united states many different ways over the years as a result of our special relationship and we'll show that even further thought -- through the trade arrangements we'll put together in the future. president trump: jeff, just to finish off, i have to say, i said to the paper, "the sun," and they seem like two very nice --ple, i said that