Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThe US president described prospective UK prime minister Andy Burnham as "extremely liberal" and dismissed him as "the mayor of a town" in his initial public comments. He predicted Mr Burnham would not open up the North Sea for oil exploration, reiterating past criticism of Sir Keir Starmer's energy policies which he claimed had severely impacted the UK. The US President expressed renewed dissatisfaction with the UK's handling of the Iran conflict and stated his belief that Sir Keir Starmer had "now gone." During a meeting with Nato chief Mark Rutte, the US president criticised several European allies, including the UK, for their lack of support in the Iran conflict and insufficient contributions to defence. Mr Rutte attempted to ease tensions by showcasing increased spending by Nato members and emphasising Europe's crucial role as a platform for US military operations. In fullTrump calls Andy Burnham ‘extremely liberal’ in first remarks on PM hopefulThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in