Nigel Farage says he boosted Donald Trump’s support in the States and compares him to Ronald Reagan
Former Ukip leader was surprised when the White House hopeful introduced him on stage
NIGEL Farage has compared Donald Trump to Ronald Reagan, saying the former US president was successful despite many thinking he was unfit to hold office before his election.
The outgoing Ukip leader's comments come after he spoke at a rally for the Republican White House hopeful in Jackson, Mississippi.
Writing in the , he said that an aide had told him Mr Trump was his warm-up, as opposed to the other way round.
At the rally, he did not explicitly endorse Mr Trump but did say, were he an American citizen, he would not vote for Hillary Clinton even if she paid him.
Addressing criticism of Mr Trump in his article, Mr Farage said: "It is worth remembering that virtually everyone thought that Ronald Reagan was unfit to be the US president before he made a huge success of his two terms."
He also explained how, after being invited to speak at a dinner hosted by the by Mississippi state governor Phil Bryant, he was given the chance to speak at the rally at the last minute.
He was expecting to be one of the earliest speakers - on stage long before Mr Trump made his entrance.
"Then, minutes before the event began, I was told there was a change of plan.
"Donald would introduce me. I couldn't really believe what I was hearing," he said.
"One of his aides said, 'He's gonna be your warm-up'."
Mr Farage said that the majority of the crowd he addressed had never voted before and these "are the same people who made Brexit happen".
While admitting that Mr Trump has "made a lot of mistakes", he said he did not believe the Republican candidate was the "monster" he had been made out to be.
He added: "The Trump campaign is now about change.
"Having met him and having spoken to him, I am far less worried.
"If he becomes US President he will be able sensibly to make the big decisions.
"The morning after the convention I woke up wondering whether all of this had really happened.
"But I saw on US television that overnight there had been a bounce in the polls for Trump.
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"There was a renewed confidence among the Mississippi Republican team and a feeling the Trump campaign had turned the corner.
"A very rattled, anxious-looking Hillary Clinton responded in a press conference and attacked my presence on the stage with Trump.
"She trotted out a series of wilful misinterpretations of things that I had said.
"It was a similar kind of demonisation used by George Osborne and many of the Remain camp on me during the referendum campaign.
"Along with Bob Geldof, Hillary simply cannot accept Brexit and still thinks it's wrong to even talk about immigration.
Nigel Farage says virtually everyone thought Ronald Reagan was unfit to be American president but he then went on to win two terms
"She represents the failed past and would do better going out meeting American voters rather than attacking me.
"Perhaps if I donate to the Clinton Foundation her views on me might soften.
"It does seem a little strange that I am now being used as a political football in the American presidential campaign.
"But it shows that Brexit is a truly global event."
He also said he has given Theresa May the benefit of the doubt over Brexit and approved the appointment of "the three Brexiteers" - David Davis, Boris Johnson and Liam Fox, but urged her not to take too long in triggering Article 50.