Donald Trump’s approach to European security is ‘misunderstood’, says Labour's David Lammy

8 May 2024, 16:55 | Updated: 8 May 2024, 17:02

Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy has promised that a Labour government would work with Donald Trump if he was re-elected as US president.

During a visit to Washington, Mr Lammy met with senior Democrats and Republicans as part of Labour's efforts to build ties with the US ahead of the general election.

The former LBC presenter said that Mr Trump’s approach to Nato is “misunderstood” as he said a Labour government would work with the ex-president if he was elected.

Mr Trump is currently campaigning for the 2024 presidential election in November as the presumptive Republican nominee.

With his potential return to the White House, Mr Lammy acknowledged his concerns about European defence spending.

He suggested that Labour may be able to reach the goal of spending 2.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence quicker than Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's pledge to do so by 2030.

Mr Lammy said that if he became foreign secretary, he would put the UK national interest first and "where I can find common cause with Donald Trump, I will find common cause".

In a speech at the Hudson Institute think tank, Mr Lammy said the former president was "a leader whose attitude to European security is often misunderstood".

"I do not believe that he is arguing that the United States should abandon Europe.

"He wants Europeans to do more to ensure a better-defended Europe.

"Were his words in office a little shocking? Yes, they were.

"Would I have used them? Probably not.

"But US spending on defence actually grew under President Trump, as did the defence spending of the wider alliance during his tenure."

Mr Trump spoke of potentially leaving the Nato alliance during his first term in office, he also repeatedly pushed for European nations to increase their own spending.

Only four European countries were meeting the 2% goal in 2016 when Mr Trump was campaigning for the presidency, it was 10 by the time he left office in 2021, Mr Lammy said, and was set to be 18 this year.

In 2017, Mr Lammy described the ex-president as "racist" and a "Nazi sympathiser”, saying he would protest on the streets if the then-president visited the UK.

He said at the time: "You are going to struggle to find any politician in the western world who hasn't had things to say in response to Donald Trump”.

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Mr Lammy added during his visit this week: "Britain will always work with the United States. Whatever the weather, whoever wins.

"If Keir Starmer's Labour Party wins the privilege to serve, we will continue to do the same."

Mr Lammy reiterated Labour's commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP "as soon as we can, in a responsible way" should the party be elected into government.

He said Labour would have a defence review beginning on "day one" of a new administration and "we may get to 2.5% before 2030" if the public finances allow.