Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump discussed the importance of “close and warm ties” between Britain and the US and agreed to meet “soon” in their first call since the inauguration, Downing Street said.
The talks, which lasted 45 minutes, come hours after the US president heaped praise on the Prime Minister for having done what he described as “a very good job thus far.”
In a readout of the conversation, Number 10 said Mr Trump had opened by sending his condolences to Sir Keir after the death of his brother Nick, who had cancer and died on Boxing Day.
Sir Keir thanked him for his kind words and “congratulated him on his inauguration”, Downing Street said.
“The Prime Minister paid tribute to President Trump’s role in securing the landmark ceasefire and hostages deal in Gaza.
“The president welcomed the release of Emily Damari and sent his best wishes to her family.
“They discussed the importance of working together for security in the Middle East.”
The call, which was characterised as “warm and personal” by Government sources, comes amid concerns about the prospect of global tariffs and a changed US policy on Ukraine under the new administration.
Downing Street said the two leaders also discussed trade and the economy, “with the Prime Minister setting out how we are deregulating to boost growth”.
“The two leaders stressed the importance of the close and warm ties between the UK and the US, and the president spoke of his respect and affection for the royal family.
“They agreed to meet soon and looked forward to further discussions then.”
The Prime Minister said he looked forward to meeting the president to “strengthen the close ties between our countries”.
The fate of the Chagos Islands deal, which presents a key diplomatic challenge for the Labour administration as some figures within the Trump camp oppose the agreement, was not discussed.
The UK plans to cede sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius, leasing back the strategically important Diego Garcia base used by the US for 99 years at a reported annual cost of around £90 million.
Sir Keir and Mr Lammy have argued that International Court of Justice rulings in favour of Mauritius had jeopardised the legal status of the base.
But allies of the president, including his pick as secretary of state Marco Rubio, have voiced concerns this could allow Chinese influence to increase in the region.
The White House offered a shorter readout of the call, saying the two men discussed how to promote a “fair” bilateral economic relationship.
“Today, President Donald J Trump held a call with Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom,” it said.
“President Trump offered his condolences for the recent loss of the Prime Minister’s brother and expressed his well wishes for the British royal family.
“The two leaders also discussed the recent release of Israeli-British national Emily Damari from Hamas captivity and how both countries can promote a fair bilateral economic relationship.”
The Times reported that Sir Keir was also expected to resist pressure from the new White House administration to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030.
A senior Government source told the paper that meeting the target in five years would mean “deeper cuts in the run-up to the election” and “feels like a non-starter”.
The Government said suggestions that the spending increase would not be reached this decade were “pure speculation.”
The Nato commitment is for members to spend 2% of GDP on defence, but Mr Trump, a sceptic of the military bloc, has suggested that should rise to 5% – far beyond the current US figure of around 3.4%.
The phone call came after the president offered warm words for Sir Keir despite a slew of attacks against the Prime Minister from X owner and Trump ally Elon Musk.
The tech entrepreneur has used his platform to attack the Prime Minister and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips over the issue of historical grooming gangs in the UK.
But the president told reporters on Air Force One that he and Sir Keir “get along well” despite the difference in their political views, and that they were due to have a call this weekend.
“I like him a lot,” Mr Trump said.
“He’s liberal, which is a bit different from me, but I think he’s a very good person and I think he’s done a very good job thus far.
“He’s represented his country in terms of philosophy.
“I may not agree with his philosophy, but I have a very good relationship with him.”
Mr Trump suggested that the UK could also be the destination for his first overseas trip of the second term.
Sir Keir most recently met the president in New York during the US election campaign.
The pair also spoke on the phone after Mr Trump’s victory, with Downing Street saying both men agreed that the relationship between the UK and the US was “incredibly strong” and would “continue to thrive”.
After the inauguration, Foreign Secretary David Lammy indicated Sir Keir would visit Washington within weeks.
