Lammy played down the influence of Elon Musk, the wealthy ally of Trump who in recent days has personally attacked British ministers on X. He said the tech boss would have only a “domestic portfolio” in the new administration and his role had not come up in talks between British and Trump officials.
The foreign secretary also emphasised the need to engage with China – on trade, climate, health and artificial intelligence – and urged the country “not to throw in its lot” with Russia. This position is at odds with that held by Trump allies who see China already as a key member of an anti-Western axis including Russia, Iran and North Korea.
Lammy calls his approach to foreign policy “progressive realism”. He said this means seeking progressive ends while accepting the world as it is.
When applying this framework to Trump, he said he will be guided more by the president-elect’s actions than his rhetoric. We shall learn in coming days how far the two remain apart.
And as for that dinner with Trump last autumn, Lammy rarely mentions the fact the meal was almost the cause of a diplomatic upset.
He and Sir Keir Starmer were presented with large plates of Guyanese chicken, somewhat to the dismay of the vegetarian prime minister.
In the national interest, the foreign secretary was obliged to eat more chicken that night than he might have expected.
