Trump wishes Andy Burnham 'good luck and Godspeed' in their first conversation - and says new PM has 'a big job ahead'

By PATRICK HARRINGTON, UK NEWS REPORTER Published: 01:24, 21 July 2026 | Updated: 01:24, 21 July 2026 Donald Trump said he wished Andy Burnham 'good luck and Godspeed' in a phone call less than an hour after he became Prime Minister. The American President rated the conversation 'very good' and vowed the two would meet 'in the not too distant future'. But he also warned the PM has a 'big job ahead' and raised topics that have proven thorny in the US-UK relationship, such as drilling in the North Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. It was vital for Mr Burnham to get off on the right foot with Trump, who can be incredibly volatile in his personal relationships, and tensions had been predicted over their starkly different ideologies. The President had previously been dismissive of his incoming counterpart - describing him as the 'mayor of a town' who was 'extremely liberal' - so Mr Burnham will have been relieved when the conversation passed without hitch. International statesmanship has been identified as an area where he lacks any real experience, but he dived straight in with calls to at least seven world leaders on day one. Trump wrote on social media: 'I had a very good conversation with the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Andy Burnham.  'We discussed many subjects, including the outstanding relationship we have had with the UK. We will be meeting in the not too distant future for topics of mutual interest.  Donald Trump said he wished Andy Burnham 'goodluck and Godspeed' on his first day as Prime Minister Andy Burnham rang the US President within an hour of becoming PM, and ahead of appointing his Cabinet Trump gave his account of the 'very good conversation' with Andy Burnham 'The Prime Minister has got a big job ahead of him, but he will be able to do it and, of course, the U.S.A. will be there to help! 'We discussed North Sea Oil, Trade, the Military Alliance, Demining of the Hormuz Strait, and many other topics. The call was interesting, and went very well.  'I wished Prime Minister Burnham, GOOD LUCK AND GODSPEED! President DONALD J. TRUMP' A Downing Street spokesperson also gave a rundown of the conversation, revealing the PM had opened by congratulating Trump on the World Cup, and also invited the President to visit Manchester. 'The Prime Minister also underlined his commitment to defence and security and said ensuring the security of the UK and its allies was at the top of his agenda,' the spokesperson added. Between wrangling with his new Cabinet appointments, Mr Burnham also called President Zelensky to reaffirm the UK's commitment to the people of Ukraine, President Macron of France, and other key allied leaders.  Mr Burnham has in the past been scathing about Donald Trump. In 2019, he called for the President's planned state visit to be cancelled, arguing that many communities in Britain would feel 'deeply unsettled' by it. He also took aim at the 'extreme views emanating from the Oval Office' and, after the end of Trump's first term, said: 'Any UK politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed.' But Trump can often be found to have a short memory in his relationships with other leaders, and has shown he is willing to forgive past animosity if offered favourable transactions. On the home front, Mr Burnham took an axe to Starmer's outgoing government and stacked his new Cabinet with allies. John Healey was a shock appointment to Chancellor, Ed Miliband was promoted to Foreign Secretary, and Shabana Mahmood kept her post as Home Secretary. Rumours had been swirling that Mr Healey was set for a comeback under Mr Burnham after he dramatically quit Sir Keir's Cabinet last month, but few expected him to get the nod for No11. Meanwhile, deputy Labour leader Lucy Powell took Education Secretary from Bridget Phillipson, who was demoted to Minister for Women and Equalities, and Wes Streeting was rewarded for his loyalty with Defence Secretary. Former transport secretary Louise Haigh was anointed as Chancellor to the Duchy of Lancaster, while Pat McFadden and Lisa Nandy kept their roles as Work and Pensions Secretary and Culture Secretary respectively. Yvette Cooper was shuffled to Health Secretary, Angela Rayner made a dramatic return to Cabinet as the Housing Secretary, and Jonathan Reynolds was appointed as Business Secretary. The Cabinet appointments were made by Mr Burnham following a purge of Sir Keir's senior team, with Rachel Reeves leading a string of departures from the Government.  Following talks in Downing Street with Mr Burnham, Ms Rayner said she was 'delighted' to return to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government. She posted on social media: 'Andy Burnham's vision of good growth in every postcode demands we build on the foundations we have already laid to bring the change we have promised. 'I look forward to returning to government with renewed drive and determination to put power back in people’s hands - and hope back in our hearts.' Ms Reeves earlier acknowledged defeat in her battle to cling on to the Treasury under Mr Burnham. She is understood to have turned down another job in Government. Starmer loyalists David Lammy, Steve Reed, Peter Kyle, Liz Kendall, Baroness Chapman and Attorney General Lord Hermer have also been ousted so far. Darren Jones announced he had been fired by phone, and Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn is leaving.