Yahoo Finance Donald Trump praises Boris Johnson for election win and touts 'massive' trade deal with US
US president Donald Trump congratulated UK prime minister Boris Johnson for his major victory at the general election and said the UK and the US are now free to negotiate a “massive” trade deal post-Brexit, following a comprehensive Conservative general election victory on Thursday.
Trump used Twitter to congratulate the UK Prime Minister, saying:
“Congratulations to Boris Johnson on his great WIN! Britain and the United States will now be free to strike a massive new Trade Deal after BREXIT.
This deal has the potential to be far bigger and more lucrative than any deal that could be made with the E.U. Celebrate Boris!”
Congratulations to Boris Johnson on his great WIN! Britain and the United States will now be free to strike a massive new Trade Deal after BREXIT. This deal has the potential to be far bigger and more lucrative than any deal that could be made with the E.U. Celebrate Boris!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 13, 2019
The pound surged by 2.2% on Thursday night to $1.3498 (GBPUSD=X) as an exit poll first revealed the news of the Tory win. It still remains near the $1.35 level after the Conservatives hit the 326 seat threshold to secure a majority around 5am local time.
READ MORE: How Boris Johnson's election win will affect your pension
Boris Johnson will return to Downing Street with a big majority after the Conservatives swept aside Labour in its traditional heartlands.
After Johnson was re-elected in Uxbridge, west London, in which he increased his majority, he said: "It does look as though this One Nation Conservative government has been given a powerful new mandate to get Brexit done."
READ MORE: Pound rockets as Boris Johnson's Conservatives win general election 2019
"Above all I want to thank the people of this country for turning out to vote in a December election that we didn't want to call but which I think has turned out to be a historic election that gives us now, in this new government, the chance to respect the democratic will of the British people to change this country for the better and to unleash the potential of the entire people of this country."
