President Donald Trump held his first face-to-face meeting with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday. Burnham became prime minister in July after returning to Parliament and becoming leader of the Labour Party.
The event took place amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and discussions about international control over artificial intelligence. The two governments have different approaches to some aspects of AI regulation, although the UK and United States also announced plans for closer cooperation on military artificial intelligence and autonomous systems.
Trump separately used his UN address to criticize international efforts to regulate artificial intelligence. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for stronger international oversight of AI during his own address to the General Assembly.
One of the main disagreements during the Trump-Burnham meeting involved the Chagos Islands. Trump criticized Britain’s agreement to transfer sovereignty over the islands to Mauritius while maintaining a long-term lease over Diego Garcia, where the United States and Britain operate an important military facility.
Trump called the arrangement a “terrible deal” and questioned Mauritius’ claim to the islands. He suggested Burnham might reconsider aspects of the agreement. Burnham said his government was committed to working with all parties to find a solution.
Trump’s comments about Mauritius were about the Chagos Islands and Diego Garcia. They were not about Mauritius gaining ownership of artificial intelligence systems.
The UK’s decision to restrict trade involving Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank also came up during questioning. Trump did not directly address the issue when asked about it.
The two leaders also discussed the case of imprisoned Hong Kong dissident Jimmy Lai during their meeting. The official British government account said Burnham called for Lai’s immediate release.
Lai is a British citizen and the founder of the former Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily. He has been detained since December 2020 and was convicted under Hong Kong’s national security law. The British government has described his prosecution as politically motivated and has repeatedly called for his release.
Burnham asked Trump to raise Lai’s case in discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to The Guardian. Xi was due to visit the United States later in the week.
UK officials had previously expressed anxiety about the meeting because of Trump’s past comments about Burnham. Trump had called him “extremely liberal” and referred to the former Greater Manchester mayor as the “mayor of a town.”
However, the session proceeded smoothly, with both leaders emphasizing the importance of US-UK relations. Trump praised Burnham during the meeting and described him as a natural businessman. Burnham said afterward that the two had established a good connection.
The leaders also discussed trade, migration, Iran, Ukraine and the Falkland Islands. According to Downing Street, Burnham emphasized Britain’s continued support for Ukraine and the need to secure a lasting peace.
During the press appearance, Trump also defended his decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House access. The three organizations have challenged the restrictions in federal court.
In his UN speech, Trump said he believed the Russia-Ukraine war could be resolved more quickly than many expected. His remarks came as the United States and European governments continued efforts to find a diplomatic path to end the conflict.
Lai’s case has also drawn attention from lawmakers in the United States, including members of Congress who introduced the Jimmy Lai Hong Kong Political Prisoner Accountability Act of 2026 on September 16.
The bill is aimed at abuses involving political prisoners in Hong Kong. It would require the State Department to determine whether abuse, medical neglect or detention conditions contributed to the death of a Hong Kong political prisoner and would require sanctions against officials found responsible or complicit.
The legislation also calls for regular reporting on Lai’s health and the treatment of other Hong Kong political prisoners.
The UK government has made Lai’s release a priority since 2024, even as concerns over his health have grown. British officials have repeatedly called on Hong Kong authorities to release him and have continued pressing for consular access.
The Trump-Burnham meeting was their first in-person discussion since Burnham became prime minister. Despite disagreements over the Chagos Islands and other policies, both governments described the meeting as constructive and said they intended to remain in close contact.