Trump hails Boris Johnson as "Britain Trump"
After being elected leader of Britain's governing Conservative party yesterday, Boris Johnson today becomes the unelected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, an undemocratic process he once described as "fraudulent" and a "palace coup".
Trump loves him, of course—or at least the things Boris has privately promised to him. Meet "Britain Trump," as America Trump puts it.
The comparisons between the two Anglophone leaders have come fast and furious - some facile and others more nuanced. Even Mr Trump himself got in on the game, in a speech in Washington on Tuesday afternoon.
"He's tough and he's smart," Mr Trump said of Mr Johnson. "They call him 'Britain Trump', and it's people saying that's a good thing. They like me over there. That's what they wanted. That's what they need."
There are plenty of other opinions, of course - that Mr Johnson is either the second coming of Donald Trump in a good way or in a bad way; a British original or a knock-off nationalist.
1. Trump humiliates all who supplicate to him.
2. Boris will channel this humiliation to an entire nation when it befalls him.
3. There is nonetheless a good chance Boris will immediately call Trump "America Boris".
4. This story's a good example of how some U.S. media "edit" Trump to make him look more normal. Some are rendering Trump's description of Boris as "Britain's Trump" when he clearly said "Britain Trump." Such speech patterns are unique to the President and should never be "edited for clarity."