Theresa May to lavish Donald Trump with gourmet food and prized World War Two gift in bid to defuse tension
THERESA May will lavish Donald Trump with gourmet food from a celebrity chef and a prized World War Two gift in a bid to defuse rows with him.
The PM will also give the US President a personal tour of the Churchill War Rooms after difficult talks in No10.
The two leaders are set to clash over three flash points - Brexit, Huawei and Iran - during two hours of deliberations in Downing Street.
The charm offensive comes after claims that Mr Trump snubbed outgoing Mrs May by deciding not to have a formal one-to-one meeting with her.
Time is usually set aside for visiting presidents to talk privately with the Prime Minister of the day, but the pair will sit down with their delegations with them through out.
The Sun can reveal TV chef Jason Atherton has been drafted in to cook the president a lunch of crab and Lake District beef fillet for the leaders.
A protegee of Gordon Ramsay, 47 year-old Mr Atheron is famed for his intricate dishes, and recently opened a Michelin-starred restaurant in New York.
As her formal gift to America’s boss, the PM will also hand over a unique framed copy of the Atlantic Charter, agreed by Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt in 1941.
The document, which set out the founding principles of the United Nations, is annotated by Britain’s wartime PM, who Mr Trump hugely admires.
Mrs May will then lead him from Downing Street to Churchill’s underground bunker complex below the Treasury, where he took many key World War Two war decisions.
Nudging the Government to get on with Brexit, Mr Trump tweeted: “Big Trade Deal is possible once U.K. gets rid of the shackles. Already starting to talk!”
There are opportunities to seize, and there are challenges we need to work together to tackle
Theresa May
Mrs May and Mr Trump will lead a round-table discussion with business leaders in St James’ Palace.
The PM will tell the room of CEOs she wants to see a major trade deal signed with the US, adding: “There are opportunities to seize, and there are challenges we need to work together to tackle.
"Today, let us look at how we do both”.
But tensions continued between Britain and the US as Foreign Secretary insisted it was “inconceivable” that any British Prime Minister would agree to put NHS services up for grabs in a deal.
Healthcare provision is a major ask from America, and its ambassador to London Woody Johnson said on Monday that it should be on the table.
No10 also hit back at Mr Trump’s claim to The Sun on Saturday that Mrs May botched Brexit negotiations by leaving the EU with “all the cards”.
The PM’s official spokesman said: “She worked as hard as she possibly could to get the best deal”.
Mrs May’s husband Philip will host First Lady Melania Trump for tea and a Downing Street tour while their spouses talk.
The pair will then preside over a garden party in No10 for the children of the PM’s staff as well as US Embassy officials’ offspring.
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The Mays will also present the former model with a bespoke No10 tea set, created by British designer Emma Bridgewater.
Despite big hints from Mr Trump, Boris Johnson had not received an invitation to meet him in London.
Mr Trump will not be visiting Parliament, after Commons Speaker John Bercow refused to issue an invitation to him.
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