'Will always put Britain's interests first': New UK PM Andy Burnham on calling out Trump

Andy Burnham, the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, declared his intention to publicly challenge U.S. President Donald Trump whenever Britain's national interests are at stake. In his first major interview since taking office on July 20, 2026, Burnham described his initial exchange with Trump as "really warm" but stressed that he would not hesitate to voice a different opinion if it serves Britain's needs.

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I can't at any point say that I won't take a different opinion from him, that I will need to voice a different idea that is right for Britain.

"Of course. You have to defend your own national interest before anything else," Burnham told the BBC when asked if he would call out the U.S. president. Despite this firm stance, he avoided directly answering twice whether he trusts Trump, stating, "It's a changing world, isn't it, and you just obviously have to call things as they develop." Burnham also reaffirmed his commitment to the public, saying his strength lies in remaining close to people and that he would "always put Britain's interests first."

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Of course. You have to defend your own national interest before anything else.

The prime minister also revealed concerns regarding Trump's decision to initiate conflict with Iran, indicating he would not hold back from expressing his views if he believed it was the right course for Britain. Looking ahead, Burnham dismissed speculation about an early general election before 2029, stating he was "going to rule it out" as his priority is "getting the country back where it should be."

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It's a changing world, isn't it, and you just obviously have to call things as they develop.

On defense spending, Burnham declined to commit to a timeline for increasing UK defense expenditure to 3 percent of GDP. He acknowledged that Chancellor John Healey, whom he appointed knowing his position on defense spending, had argued for meeting the target by 2030. However, Burnham insisted the government's immediate focus is ensuring the current defense investment plan is fully funded ahead of the upcoming budget.

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My strength is remaining close to people, close to the public. That will not change as prime minister.