President Donald Trump speaks during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. Andy Burnham has refused to say that he trusts Donald Trump. The new prime minister insisted he would not shy away from criticising the US president if it was in Britain’s national interest to do so. He said the two men enjoyed a “warm” phone conversation last Monday after he entered No.10 for the first time. But asked by the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg if he thinks he can trust Trump, Burnham would not give a direct answer. He said: “I’ve had one phone call, and I always treat people as I find them. “It was a good exchange and it was a warm exchange. I am that kind of politician, I will always seek to judge people as I find them. “I’ve lived my whole life like that, and I found him to be warm on Monday, and we will continue to build a relationship.” When Kuenssberg asked a second time if he trusted the president, Burnham said: “It’s a changing world, isn’t it, and you have to call things as they develop. “I can’t at any point say that I won’t take a different opinion from him, that I will need to voice a different opinion that is right for Britain, and I will do that. “My strength always is in remaining close to people, close to the public, that will not change because I’m prime minister.” The PM said he would not be afraid to call out Trump if he thought it was the right thing to do. “You have to defend your own national interest before anything else,” he said. “That’s what you’re required to do if you’re to do this job properly. I will always put Britain’s interests first.” Does @andyburnham trust Donald Trump? pic.twitter.com/dC0zyJKbPK — Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) July 26, 2026 Keir Starmer initially got off to a positive start in his relations with Trump, and invited him to the UK for an unprecedented second state visit. However, the pair’s relationship had largely broken down before the last PM left office. Trump was critical of Starmer’s decision not to let US jets carry out attacks on Iran from RAF bases, while the two men were also at odds over the president’s threat to invade Greenland and his criticism of Nato. Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster. Related... Andy Burnham Rules Out Early General Election: 'I Don't Think People Want It' How Andy Burnham Promised Labour Unity And Then Delivered A Cabinet Massacre Donald Trump Slaps New 10% Tariff On UK Goods In Early Challenge For Andy Burnham