British Government Making Plans for Trump Victory: Report

Donald Trump rally
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally, Tallahassee, Florida, October 25. A lawyer who advises Trump says he has had discussions with the British Foreign Office. Mark Wallheiser/Getty

The British government is making preparations for a Donald Trump victory in the U.S. presidential election, according to reports.

George Papadopoulos, a London based-lawyer who advises Trump on foreign policy, told The Times he had had "very productive talks with representatives of the Foreign Office."

Sir Kim Darroch, Britain's ambassador to the U.S., has meetings scheduled with senior members of Trump and Hillary Clinton's teams, the paper reported.

For much of the presidential race, Britain has not appeared to take the prospect of a Trump victory entirely seriously.

David Cameron, who was prime minister until he stepped down over the summer, broke with a diplomatic tradition of not interfering in overseas elections when he criticized Trump's comments about Muslims in the spring.

He said the billionaire Republican nominee's plan for a temporary freeze on Muslim immigration to the U.S. was "divisive, stupid and wrong."

But with national polls tight in the final days of the race, foreign governments will need to treat Trump as a potential future president. Britain's diplomatic service is likely to try and identify who would take up key roles in a Trump administration.

Government sources told The Times there had been no change in approach: "We have sought to engage both sides ever since there were only two candidates left in the race," one said.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Josh is a staff writer covering Europe, including politics, policy, immigration and more.

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go