Former President Donald Trump and British Foreign Secretary David Cameron held discussions during a dinner meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
The meeting, which took place on Monday, covered various topics, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the importance of NATO countries meeting their defense spending commitments.
According to Trump’s campaign, the conversation also touched on policy matters related to Brexit and the upcoming elections in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
Cameron’s visit to the U.S. also involved meetings with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington. Following his discussions with Blinken, Cameron intended to engage with lawmakers in Congress to advocate for the passage of an aid package for Ukraine.
During the press conference with Blinken, Cameron acknowledged the dinner meeting with Trump but refrained from providing specific details about their conversation, stating only that they discussed “a range of important geopolitical subjects.”
Trump has been vocal about NATO members failing to meet the alliance’s defense spending target of 2% of gross domestic product.
His remarks have raised concerns in Europe about the future of the trans-Atlantic military alliance, particularly if Trump were to win the upcoming presidential election in November.
In February, Trump drew criticism for suggesting that the U.S. might not defend countries that do not meet NATO’s defense spending targets and even hinted at encouraging Russian aggression towards them.
These statements have prompted European leaders to engage with various stakeholders in the U.S. to advocate for increased defense spending and support for Ukraine.
The British Foreign Office described Cameron’s meeting with Trump as part of routine international engagement, emphasizing that it is standard practice for ministers to meet with opposition candidates.
However, scheduling conflicts prevented Cameron from meeting with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, whom he intended to urge to pass a $60 billion military aid package for Ukraine.
