Trump ranted at Boris Johnson during an 'apoplectic' phone call with the prime minister
- Donald Trump reportedly vented his fury with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson during an "apoplectic" phone call last week.
- The call was made after Johnson defied Trump by allowing Chinese telecoms company Huawei to develop Britain's 5G network.
- Following the call, The Sun newspaper reported that Johnson has delayed his planned trip to the US.
- Johnson and senior members of his government have staged a series of criticisms of Trump and his administration in recent weeks.
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President Donald Trump vented his fury at UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson during what an official described as an "apoplectic" phone call last week.
The call, which one source described to the Financial Times as "very difficult," came after Johnson defied Trump and allowed Chinese telecoms company Huawei the rights to develop the UK's 5G network.
Johnson backed Huawei despite multiple threats by Trump and his allies that the United States would withdraw security co-operation with the UK if the deal went ahead
Trump's threats reportedly "irritated" the UK government, with Johnson frustrated at the president's failure to suggest any alternatives to the deal.
Following the call, US Vice President Mike Pence said that the Trump administration had made its disappointment at the UK "very clear to them".
The official UK account of the call gives a hint of the disagreement, stating that "the Prime Minister underlined the importance of like-minded countries working together to diversify the market and break the dominance of a small number of companies."
The latest account of tensions between the two allies comes as The Sun newspaper reported on Friday that Johnson has pushed his planned trip to Washington, which was due to take place imminently, back until March and it "may be pushed back still further."
A spokesperson for Johnson declined to comment on the call.
Johnson says Trump is 'failing to lead' and 'letting the air out of the tires of the world economy'
The most recent came on Monday when Johnson used his first major speech on foreign policy since the general election to launch a coded attack on President Trump and his "protectionist" economic strategy.
"Free trade is being choked," Johnson told an event in London on Monday, referencing ongoing trade battles between Washington and China.
"And that is no fault of the people, that's no fault of individual consumers. I am afraid it is the politicians who are failing to lead."
In an apparent barb at Trump and his threats to launch a new trade war with Europe, Johnson added that "from Brussels to China to Washington, tariffs are being waved around like cudgels, even in debates on foreign policy where frankly they have no place."
