US President Donald Trump has invited British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to visit him in the White House in the new year
Britain's Sunday Times newspaper is reporting that Mr Trump's invitation to Johnson was made after the
Formal discussions on the exact timing of Mr Johnson's visit are yet to held, the newspaper reported, citing Downing Street sources.
"Some potential dates have been floated in mid-January but nothing has yet been formally agreed," the report quoted a source close to the White House as saying.
Boris Johnson makes his victory speech after retaining his seat. Source: AP
"But it is clear that both sides want to make it happen sometime in early 2020,"
Mr Trump reached out to his British counterpart after Mr Johnson's election win.
Previously, before Mr Johnson ascended to the top job, the president said Mr Johnson would
Mr Johnson is reluctant to make the visit before delivering Brexit on 31 January and prefers to go after a cabinet reshuffle scheduled in February in which he is expected to appoint cabinet office minister Michael Gove as his new trade negotiator, The Mail on Sunday reported.
Such an arrangement could let the PM take Mr Gove with him ahead of the talks of a post-Brexit trade deal with the United States, the report said.
As Britain prepares to leave the EU, Mr Johnson and MR Trump agreed in a phone call on Monday to pursue an "ambitious" UK-US free trade agreement.
After Mr Johnson's election win, the president had said Britain and the United States were now free to strike a "massive" new trade deal after Brexit.
Donald Trump speaks in Florida on Saturday. Source: Getty
"This deal has the potential to be far bigger and more lucrative than any deal that could be made with the EU", Mr Trump said in a tweet earlier this month.
With AAP...
